Why crime is rising in the Humber as police ‘well ahead’ in tackling it

Crime is on the increase across the Humber but the police going on the front foot to tackle offences is still paying off, councillors have heard. A Safer and Stronger Communities Sub-Committee heard the Humber continued to lead the way on tackling crime[1], including with one of the highest arrest rates in the country. Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Jonathan Evison said crime has gradually been coming back up since the coronavirus pandemic but the region remained below national averages for offences.

Humberside Police[2] Chief Constable Paul Anderson said crime had been particularly low in the region as a result of the force going on the front foot during the pandemic. Councillors at the East Riding meeting heard people told the force drug use and dealing, nuisance motorcycles, speeding and dangerous driving and burglary were the issues they were most concerned about. They also heard that force estimates showed 40 per cent of people have been victims of crime or antisocial behaviour.

But 30 per cent of victims do not report crime, partly because they do not believe that anything will be done about it. Mr Evison told councillors it came as the force would soon have 2,321 officers, the highest number in a generation. Councillors heard the total was up from a low of 1,624 in 2016.

Can’t see the survey? Click here[3]. Chief Constable Anderson said the total would eventually fall back by around 100 but the extra officers could still deal a blow to crime in the meantime.

Figures from the force showed there were 89,302 crimes recorded across the Humber in the year up to October. It was up from 77,331 the year before and 80,614 in the 12 months up to October 2019, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic began. The amount recorded in the three months up to October was 7,650, down from 7,702 in the three to September and 7,513 in the three before August.

Hull saw the largest amount of recorded crimes in the year up to October 2023, 36,525, followed by the East Riding with 19,545. There were 19,364 recorded in North East Lincolnshire and 13,686 in North Lincolnshire recorded during the same period. Violence against the person, which covers everything from harassment to grievous bodily harm, had the highest number of offences recorded for any type of crime, 35,692 up to October.

Public disorder, drug offences, possession of weapons, handling stolen goods and other miscellaneous offences combined under ‘other crimes against society’ totalled 16,075. The total was up from 12,615 in the year up to October 2022 and 11,361 the year before that. There were 9,848 criminal damage and arson offences recorded in the 12 months up to October, down from 9,941 the year before and 10,961 up to October 2021.

Recorded offences of violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, thefts and shoplifting were all higher in the 12 months up to October compared to the previous year. Vehicle offences and criminal damage and arson both fell year-on-year, from 3,322 to 3,197 and 9,941 to 9,848 respectively. Both have been in decline since the 12 months to October 2021.

Mr Evison said the figures were still a marked improvement on pre-coroanvirus levels despite the increases. The PCC said: “It’s because of the lag from coronavirus, crime is gradually starting to come back up but Humberside is well below the national average. It’s coming back from when it was virtually non-existent during the pandemic but if you compare our figures to 2019 we’re well ahead of every other area statistically on just about every type of crime.”

Chief Constable Anderson said the recent targeting of serious organised crime through Operation Shield was a continuation of an offensive against crime mounted during the pandemic. The chief constable said: “Humberside adopted a really clear approach during the coronavirus pandemic. “A lot of forces locked down but our approach was that we’re hear to protect people so we were still out there undertaking operations.

We used the opportunity of the pandemic to roll out Operation Galaxy which was a massive operation which lasted about eight to nine months.

“So our arrest rates were abnormally high and when life started to find its natural level again as we came out of the pandemic crime figures reflected that.”

References

1. ^ Latest crime news- Grimsby Live (www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk)
2. ^ Latest Humberside Police news- Hull Live (www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk)
3. ^ Humberside Police Survey- Grimsby Live (ngx.me)