Suffolk named one of the safest counties in England and Wales
Figures show Suffolk Police is ranked fourth for the lowest levels of recorded crime in the country.
Suffolk is in the top four counties in England and Wales where people are least likely to be victims of crime, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
The total recorded crime covering the 12 months to the end of December 2023 show that there were 60.9 crimes per 1000 people*, a decrease of 11% compared to the previous 12 months.
From residential burglary, public order, robbery, theft from person, stalking and harassment, vehicle crime, sexual offences, knife crime and drug offences all saw drops in recorded crimes, compared to the previous 12-month period.
Based on the ONS figures, Suffolk Constabulary is ranked fourth for the lowest levels of recorded crime in the country.
Deputy Chief Constable Rob Jones said: “As I have said previously, whilst these figures are very encouraging, demonstrating further positive progress and reflect all the hard work that takes place across the force, I am always very mindful that every crime that is committed has a victim involved and we extend our sympathies if this is the case for you.
“The victim is at the heart of everything we do. This means putting them first with high quality investigations to catch the perpetrator and being determined to bring offenders to justice. This is especially the case with those who are the most prolific and high risk, whilst maximising opportunities to reduce re-offending and promote rehabilitation.
“These figures do demonstrate how we are refusing to rest on our laurels but continue to improve, to work hard to keep the people of Suffolk safe and to solve crime and catch criminals.
“I reiterate, that these figures will mean very little if you have been the victim of a crime and there is much more to a local county police service than just bald statistics.
“For example, our Community Policing Teams that we launched in December last year are continuing to do some fantastic engagement work. I’d would suggest that residents take a look at your local policing social media feed on X or Facebook to get a flavour of the sort of visible and proactive work our officers are doing each and everyday.”
The force did see rises in business related crime (up 25.9%) and shoplifting (14.8%) and a marginal rise in possession of weapons (up 0.2%).
DCC Jones added: “With the cost of living still applying pressure on many people and their home lives I am not surprised at the rise in shoplifting and retail crime. We will be undertaking a close review of these figures to understand what more we can do to tackle this area.
“Our recent week of engagement activity with the business community in March demonstrates our commitment to tackle shoplifting and pursue and prosecute offenders where possible. We paid visits to around 300 shops and businesses providing crime prevention advice, coupled with high visibility patrols. We have a range of tools at our disposal to address retail crime including the use preventative powers such the Anti-Social Behaviour Act to tackle persistent offenders, use of Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Orders.
“As always, we remain grateful for the support from Suffolk residents which is demonstrated every time we appeal for help to prevent crime or catch criminals. Just as important is the help and support from our partners across the county who we will continue to work closely with to ensure the county overall remains a safe place.”