Crime Rises in Devon and Cornwall But Still Below National Average
Crime in Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly jumped 9.3% in the year to June 2022. While that’s a sharp rise, it’s still lower than the UK average increase of 12.5%. The bump was expected since figures are compared to the unusual lockdown period of 2020 and 2021 when crime rates plummeted.
Sexual Offences Surge by Nearly 22%
Reports of sexual offences soared 21.8% compared to the previous year. Deputy Chief Constable Julie Fielding said this rise matches a national trend following lockdown easing in March 2021, boosted by increased support and awareness encouraging victims to come forward.
“We are committed to preventing these offences, tackling offenders and ensuring victims are supported,” said DCC Fielding. “We’re working with Operation Bluestone Soteria to improve how we investigate rape and sexual offences, raising standards across the force.”
Drug Crackdowns and Burglary Facts
Operation Scorpion is stepping up the fight against drug crime, targeting county lines gangs to cut drug-related harm. Meanwhile, residential burglaries in Devon and Cornwall actually dropped 1.1% over the past year, outpacing the national 0.5% rise.
DCC Fielding added: “Burglary is deeply distressing and we respond to every report. We remain focused on protecting our communities and reducing the crimes that matter most.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Weighs In
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for the region, stressed that rising sexual offence reports reflect victims’ growing confidence in the police. She highlighted the region’s low neighbourhood crime rates but acknowledged more must be done to battle violence, especially linked to drugs.
“This winter, Devon and Cornwall Police will join five other forces in Operation Scorpion to hit drug users and dealers hard,” Hernandez said. “Our region isn’t a place for drugs.”
She also noted the recent inspection into crime recording standards means the force is focusing on ensuring crime data is as accurate as possible.
