Minor crime up, figures reveal (From Penarth Times)

Minor crime up, figures reveal

PENARTH'S crime rate for minor offences such as mobile phone thefts is soaring, according to local police.

Officers at Penarth say while figures for the town for the year 2001-2002 show offences have fallen by 400, the first quarter of this year shows the numbers have gone up.

Inspector Sid Griffiths, of Penarth police station said: "Indications for the first quarter of 2002 show a definite increase in crime, when compared with the same time last year." He said the increase in figures was mainly due to a rise in minor offences.

But he assured residents: "There is no cause for alarm in the Penarth sector."

Crime statistics for the year 2001-2002, released this week by the Home Office, include significant changes to crime recording practices - the adoption of the new National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS).

These have resulted in contrasting trends between police statistics but the evidence within the report suggests overall crime in Wales and England is not rising.

NCRS was introduced nationally on April 1, 2002, but was applied by South Wales Police during the final months of the year.

Analysis within the force has confirmed that the change in crime recording methodology undoubtedly accounted for a proportion of a five percent overall increase in recorded crime. Although South Wales Police were unable to match an exceptional performance in 2000-2001, the number of burglaries was still down 18 percent on 1999-2000.

While recorded crime increased during the year, this was matched by the number of crimes detected which rose to 33 percent, the third highest of all forces in Wales and England. The fact that over eight out of ten violent crimes were detected during the year also stands as a good deterrent.