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Lower Crime Stats Welcomed By Merseyside's PCC
Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has welcomed the publication of statistics showing overall crime has fallen by 14.26% in Merseyside for the year ending March 2024 compared with the previous 12 months.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) released an annual report on Wednesday the 24th of July 2024, showing crime statistics for all police forces across England and Wales, where crime had fallen by 3.5% on average.
In Merseyside, reports of a number of serious crimes have reduced, further building on reductions in previous years:
Violence against the person offences reduced by 12.55%.
Robbery offences fell by 11.19%.
Cyber Crime decreased by 38.80%.
Sexual offences dropped by 12.13%.
Knife Crime decreased by 13.35% in Merseyside.
Burglary offences saw a 16.2% reduction, compared to the national average of 3.5%.
Robbery offences fell by 11.19%.
Vehicle Offences fell by 11.76%.
Drugs offences fell by 5.98%.
Gun crime reports fell by 10% and firearms discharges by 9.5%.
Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell, said: 'It is hugely encouraging that crime has fallen by more than 14% across Merseyside in the past year.'
She added: 'This downward trend is very welcome, and it is testament to the dedication and commitment of officers and staff, supported by our partners, who work so hard to prevent and tackle crime and target those who seek to harm our communities.
“It is particularly significant that we’ve also seen decreases in the most serious crimes which cause the greatest heartache and misery, particularly gun crime, violence, and sexual offences.'
She said: 'These reductions mean fewer people are being harmed and less fear and suffering in our communities.'
The Commissioner, said: 'While figures like these are what we all want to see, we are never complacent.'
She added: 'In the last month, there have been two devastating gun murders in our region, which have left two families shattered. These tragedies are a sobering reminder that there is still much more to do to eradicate the toxic individuals who, driven by their own greed, use violence with no care for the harm they inflict on others.'
Commissioner Spurrell, said: 'By being united and standing against them, we can make our streets safer, and my thanks go to everyone across Merseyside who has played their part, acting as the eyes and ears of the police, and providing the intelligence which means dangerous, ruthless individuals can be brought to justice.'
Emily Spurrell, said: 'By doing so, you are giving Merseyside Police the tools to drive down crime and keep people safe.'
She said: 'We know there are some people who are still anxious about reporting to the police and for some crimes, particularly violence against women and girls, we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg. It’s important we continue to build trust and confidence in our communities, make sure it is as easy for them to report as possible and focus on making sure they get the right response and the right outcome when they do.
Commissioner Spurrell, said: 'Prevention is also key to all this work. If we can intervene early and stop people, particularly young people, from ever getting involved in crime, then we can make sure these decreases continue in the years ahead.'
She added: 'It’s a priority for Merseyside Police, supported by our highly effective Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership. The MVRP has reached and engaged with more than 114,000 young people in the last five years to help steer them on to a more positive path and ensure they don’t get involved with harmful or dangerous behaviours.'
Commissioner Spurrell, said: 'These figures show all this work is making a difference. As they are released, I’m pleased that we have announced a further £500,000 investment in diversionary activities through our new Youth Empowerment Scheme designed to help prevent future spikes in violence and drive these crimes down even further.'
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