Wiltshire knife crime ‘five times higher’ than national average

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner says Wiltshire Police are continuing work to tackle serious crime in the county.

It comes as new figures on violent crime released by the Office of National Statistics show an 11% increase in violent crime in the county.

Although this is inline with the national trend, knife crime in the county is five times higher than the national average.

According to the latest report issued on Thursday, robbery increased to 351 recorded instances compared with 314 crimes in the previous 12 months, an increase of 11% echoing the national 11% increase.

Recorded instances of knife crime in Wiltshire and Swindon however show an increase of 15%, with 326 recorded crimes against 278 the previous year. Nationally there has been an increase of 3% in the same period.

PCC Philip Wilkinson said, “Tackling serious violence and knife crime is a key priority for my office, Wiltshire Police and the wider partnerships, and while the stats say one thing it’s the communities are really feeling the effects.

“The Chief Constable has made reducing violence and creating safer public spaces two of her key priorities and I fully support every effort being made to achieve them.

“My office is also ensuring all key stakeholders are working together – through the work of our recently-appointed Serious Violence Duty Co-ordinator – with our first focus on working with our partners at Swindon Borough Council, Children’s Services and the Youth Justice Service to create a Youth Safety Strategy.

“We know we cannot eradicate crime, and knife crime in particular, and it will take some time for the force’s hard work to be felt by the communities themselves.”