Burglaries on the up new crime figures show

The data covering offences across England and Wales over the 12 months to June 2012 and published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday, revealed there were 381,188 crimes recorded across Yorkshire in the past year, with a drop across all categories apart from fraud which rose regionally by four per cent.

Humberside recorded the biggest overall reduction of 12 per cent on the previous year, with North Yorkshire’s crime rates dropping by 10 per cent and West Yorkshire’s crime rates dropping by five per cent.

South Yorkshire Police recorded a fall in overall crime of three per cent, but robbery, burglary, burglary in a dwelling and burglary in a building other than a dwelling were all up by between three and five percent.

Theft was also up by three per cent.

The Yorkshire Post revealed earlier this year a marked rise in the number of two-in-one burglaries in South Yorkshire - where homes are targeted to steal luxury cars - with police blaming the increase on persistent offenders being released from long jail terms and back on to the streets.

Neil Bowles, the chair of the South Yorkshire Police Federation, said the rise was a direct result of the 170 officers the force has lost over the past two years.

“This is what we have been warning since 2010,” he said.

“Nobody wants to say I told you so, but it is pretty much common sense.

“There is less of a deterrent for getting caught.”

The overall drop in crime across Yorkshire has been mirrored nationally, where the numbers fell across all headline offences recorded by police in the year to June by six per cent.

Violence against the person is down 6 per cent, murder is down 14 per cent and attempted murder down 12 per cent.

But pick-pocketing, referred to as theft from the person, continued to rise and is up 6 per cent over the last year, the police recorded crime figures showed.

David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, said the force recognises and works to address rising crime trends early on.

“Overall crime continues to reduce across South Yorkshire demonstrating the excellent work of our officers and staff,” he added.