Robberies jumped 8 per cent in the last three months of 2006, Home Office figures have revealed.It is the first time the quarterly number of robberies has risen above 26,000 since the second quarter of 2003.
According to the British Crime Survey, overall recorded crime fell by 2 per cent in England and Wales from October to December compared with the same period in the previous year.
Total violent crime was down 1 per cent but drugs offences rose 3 per cent and police recorded an 11 per cent leap in vandalism.
Meanwhile, the number of firearms offences fell 16 per cent to 9,513 in the year ending in December but gun deaths rose by four to 57.
The BCS, which questions tens of thousands of people about their experiences of crime, estimated the number of offences against adults remained stable at 11.1 million in the 12 months ending in December.
But it disclosed that more people are concerned about anti-social behaviour while public confidence in the criminal justice system has also declined.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: "We have cut robbery by a fifth over the past five years but any rise, however slight, reminds us there is still work to do."
1 comment:
One can only assume that this is the "Cool Brittania" that Blair and co dreamed up for us when they came into power...
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