Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jul 2002
Source: Independent  (UK)
Section: News - UK - Crime
Copyright: 2002 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: Jason Bennetto, Crime Correspondent

ALARM OVER HUGE RISE IN STREET CRIME AND THEFTS

Muggings and robberies have risen by 28 per cent in the past year despite 
overall crime levels staying stable, official figures revealed yesterday.

Two surveys published by the Home Office a " one from the police and one of 
the public a " reveal how crime in Britain is changing, with some offences 
soaring and others falling.

Burglaries have increased for the first time since 1993 but there have been 
welcome drops in violent and sexual offences.

The total number of crimes recorded by the police has jumped by 7 per cent 
to 5.52 million, but new methods of counting mean that the real rise is 
only 2 per cent, according to the Home Office.

The British Crime Survey, a separate study of 33,000 members of the public, 
which is considered more accurate, shows that crime fell by 2 per cent in 
the 12 months to April, to just under 13 million.

The Home Office said the figures showed that the overall rate had 
stabilised after five years of falling crime. However, the Conservatives 
accused the Government of "statistical manipulation".

While the publication of two sets of conflicting reports is confusing, the 
overall figures reveal encouraging trends for the Government and police a " 
but also an alarming rise in robberies being committed, largely, by drug 
addicts and youngsters stealing mobile phones.

Robbery was up 28 per cent to more than 121,000 incidents. This included a 
31 per cent rise in robbery of personal property. Some 82 per cent of all 
robberies took place in just 10 police force areas, although this type of 
offence still accounts for only 2 per cent of all crime.

The Prime Minister has pledged to bring street crime under control by 
September after initiating a "cross-Government" action plan.

The Home Office said that initiatives run by the Metropolitan Police, which 
has to deal with 44 per cent of the country's robberies, were starting to 
have an impact on the crime spree. The 2 per cent rise in overall recorded 
crime is the second increase in the total number of offences in the past 
seven years. Under the new counting system, crimes such as vandalism and 
minor assaults, which used to go unrecorded, are now included.

Using the adjusted figures, recorded offences involving violence dropped by 
about 5 per cent. Murders were up 4 per cent, attempted murders up 21 per 
cent. The total number of sexual offences declined by about 8 per cent 
under the adjusted system. This includes, however, a 14 per cent rise in 
reported rapes of women and an 11 per cent rise in reported rapes of men.

Burglary was up by about 5 per cent. There were also slight rises in 
vehicle offences. The second report, the British Crime Survey, showed that 
crime was down 22 per cent since 1997 and by 14 per cent in the past two 
years.David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said: "The statistics indicate 
the overall crime levels were stable last year. The crimes that affect most 
people, burglary and vehicle crime, remain at the lower levels seen after 
the significant reductions in recent years.

"While most crime continues to fall or remain at lower levels, I am 
concerned about the significant rise that we have seen in robbery offences."

Oliver Letwin, the shadow Home Secretary, said: "No amount of statistical 
manipulation can conceal what everyone on the estates in our inner cities 
already knows a " that it is the gangs and the drug dealers rather than the 
forces of law and order that are in charge.

"Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: "Levels 
of crime may be stable but they are still far too high. Only sensible, 
long-term policies will bring further reductions."
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