Knife crime rates drop among headline successes for West Midlands Police, but shoplifting still concern
New crime statistics released today have shown the work done to bring knife crime rates down, but also revealed the work still needed to combat other crimes.
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The new data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that total crime reported across the West Midlands was found to have reduced by 8 per cent with nearly 30,000 fewer victims in the last year, double the national average.
The data from the ONS covers the period year ending October 2023 to September 2024 and showed big decreases in a number of high profile crimes, with the number of knife crime offences falling by six per cent, from 5,238 from 2022/23 to 4,930 in the 2023/24 statistics.
Other headline drops in rates include home burglaries going down by 12 per cent, robbery down by eight per cent and vehicle crime down by 11 per cent.
West Midlands Police said that an abundance of funding and dedicated resources continued to be ploughed into reducing knife crime, which remains a top priority for WMP and was being reflected in the investigation into last week’s fatal stabbing of 12-year-old Leo Ross in Hall Green.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said the drop in knife crime statistics was a real boost to the force and praised the hard work being done by officers and staff at the force.
He said: “Our officers and staff continue to work tirelessly to make substantial reductions in crime, to arrest more offenders and to ensure they are held to account for their crimes whilst we continue to protect the vulnerable.
"The data reflects some very significant changes to the way we police on behalf of our communities on a daily basis.
“It’s fantastic to see that our hard work is continuing to pay off and we are continuing to make our communities safer with the majority of crime falling.
"The statistics are clear, there are now considerably fewer victims of crime across the West Midlands.
"It is important to remember that these statistics are only up to last October, the last few months have brought even further reductions in crime.
“It is particularly pleasing that we have seen a considerable drop in knife crime over the last year.
"I met some pupils from Leo Ross’ school yesterday and thanked our officers for supporting staff and pupils after such a senseless crime.
"We are all very focussed upon preventing such tragedies but no statistics can ever mitigate the loss of such a young and promising life.
“The latest statistics serve to evidence the improvements people are seeing in their community.
"While recognising that any offence is one too many, people in the West Midlands are statistically now less likely to be a victim of crime."
Further key areas that have seen reductions include serious youth violence which is down by 11 per cent along with domestic abuse down by 11 per cent with 13,000 fewer victims and theft from the person offences are down by 29 per cent.
Shoplifting offences increase across the West Midlands
While there have been good news statistics presented in the data, some areas are still showing increases, with retail trade union Usdaw saying it was deeply concerned by statistics showing that there were significant increases in shoplifting across the West Midlands constabulary areas.
The statistics showed a 23 per cent increase in shoplifting incidents across West Midlands constabulary areas, with an increase of 32 per cent in the West Midlands.
Here's the full breakdown:
Staffordshire +24%
Warwickshire +31%
West Mercia 0%
West Midlands +32%
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary says: “The scale of the epidemic of retail crime is laid bare in these shocking police recorded crime statistics and the BRC report.
"Crime has a very direct impact on the viability of stores, as retailers go to increasing lengths and expense to make them secure and safe.
"Communities are blighted by anti-social behaviour and store closures. Staff are working in fear of the next incident of abuse, threats or violence.
“It is increasingly common for retail stores to be targeted by organised crime gangs stealing to order.
"This is in no way a victimless crime, with weapons and violence used to ensure these criminals are not stopped.
"Having to deal with repeated and persistent offences can cause issues beyond the theft itself, like anxiety, fear and physical harm to retail workers.
"Usdaw’s survey of over 4,000 retail workers found that 70 per cent had suffered incidents of violence, threats and abuse that were triggered by theft and armed robbery. So this increase in shoplifting is hugely concerning."
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said the force was working hard to address the problem, saying: "Like most areas of the country, we have seen an increase in shop theft but again we are on the right track in addressing this crime.
"Over the last year, we have arrested 743 (39 per cent) more people in connection with shop theft and we have solved more than 3,379 offences (126 per cent) compared to last year."
