Police hail fall in Vale crime (you now have a one in 4,347 chance of being robbed)

There were 40 fewer crimes in the Vale during 2013/14 compared to the previous year, with drug offences and robbery falling by more than 25 per cent.
Graphic provided by police on Aylesbury Vale crime statsGraphic provided by police on Aylesbury Vale crime stats
Graphic provided by police on Aylesbury Vale crime stats

Robbery cases fell by 30 per cent, which means there were 19 fewer offences compared to last year and the likelihood of someone being the victim of a personal robbery is now one in 4,347.

Burglaries have fallen by 10 per cent, meaning there were 12 fewer cases in the last year. The overall detection rate has risen by 2.6 per cent.

Supt Gez Chiariello said: “We are committed to working extremely hard to reduce the number of burglaries further, holding more criminals accountable for this horrific crime and reduce the victims of burglary across the rural areas and towns in the Vale.”

LPA Commander for Aylesbury Vale Supt Gez ChiarielloLPA Commander for Aylesbury Vale Supt Gez Chiariello
LPA Commander for Aylesbury Vale Supt Gez Chiariello

The number of drugs-related cases have reduced by a quarter, meaning there were 266 fewer offences compared to last year.

Supt Chiariello said: “This success is in part due to a number of well executed operations, warrants, targeting of known offenders and the invaluable input from the public in reporting suspicious incidents to us.

“We have identified and arrested more offenders this year and this sends out a clear deterrent message that we will not tolerate drugs in our communities, and we will deal robustly with those that are involved with the supply of drugs.”

Arson and criminal damage offences have been driven down by six per cent, meaning there were 71 fewer victims compared to last year.

Speaking about the 7% rise in the number of reported sex crimes, Supt Chiariello said the Jimmy Savile case could have encouraged victims to come forward.

He said: “We certainly can’t underestimate the impact that case had on the reporting of these types of incidents.

“Often we see that there’s not just one victim in this type of case, but several others, so it gives those people the confidence to come forward.”

However, violent crime has gone up 8% to 1,423.

Supt Chiariello said: “Whereas there used to be alcohol-fuelled nightlife, it seems the violence has moved away from the town centre and into the estates.

“This could mean it’s harder for those victims to speak out if it’s happening at home, but we are committed to protecting the vulnerable victims of such crimes, and these are areas which have historically gone under reported and the increase most likely highlights that more people are coming forward so we can fully investigate incidents of this nature.”

There were 40 fewer crimes committed in the area compared to last year’s figures, and Supt Chiariello said: “I would like to reassure the public that Aylesbury Vale remains ones of the safest places in the country to live, work and visit and we will continue to work with our strong community safety partnerships to tackle these crimes and bring offenders to justice.”

“This year Aylesbury Vale town centre retained its purple flag status, which should give people the confidence that the town is a well-managed environment where they can enjoy their evenings, and the award is recognition of the efforts and resources we have continued to put in place to keep the community safe. We will continue to proactively police the night-time economy and work closely with the community safety partnership to ensure licensed premises are effectively managed, to protect our communities and keep our night time environment safe in our towns for people to go out and enjoy themselves without fear of getting hurt.

“My priorities are to ensure a quality of service across the 350 square miles of the Vale, protecting vulnerable people, keeping the communities of Aylesbury Vale safe and protecting them from harm.

“It is important for us that not only are we reducing the number of crimes taking place, but we are also making sure fewer people are becoming the victims of crime. We will continue to work extremely hard so that we can look to reduce crime further.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for all their support in helping us reduce overall crime in their area.

“With the support of the public and our incredibly committed and dedicated members of staff, police officers, volunteers and our community safety partnerships we will continue to a deliver high quality service to our communities to ensure Aylesbury Vale remains a safe place.

“The top priority is to stop crime being committed, but when it is committed we will do everything we can to identify the offenders and bring them to justice.”

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