REPORTS of stalking and harassment have jumped in the past decade.

The number of offences recorded by Wiltshire Police in Swindon has increased more than tenfold since 2008.

In Swindon last year, 795 stalking and harassment offences were recorded by the force – up 1,225 per cent on the 60 cases logged a decade earlier.

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The new figures were in a government report showing the county has seen an eight per cent crime rise. The force says that improvements in recording partly explains the rise.

Figures show that in Swindon:

  • The number of cases of violence without injury has rocketed by 131 per cent since 2008, with 2,341 offences recorded last year.
  • Possession of weapon offences increased by a quarter in a decade, although there was a slight drop in 2017.
  • Instances of violence with injury was up 43 per cent last year compared with the 2008 figures. In 2017, 2,337 cases were recorded in Swindon by Wiltshire Police.

Overall, the force recorded an eight per cent increase in crimes last year – placing it second only to Avon & Somerset as the force with the smallest crime increase in the region.

Wiltshire police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson said: “I’m pleased to see that we now have a more accurate picture of crime in Wiltshire and I will continue to hold the chief constable and force to account to ensure that our county is kept safe.”

Figures show that robberies in Wiltshire increased by 28 per cent, from 197 in 2016 to 261 last year.

Long term, the number of sexual offences recorded by the force in Swindon has tripled since 1998 - from 226 that year to 677 in 2017.

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Det Supt Jeremy Carter said: “We are never complacent and remain focused when it comes to tackling all types of crime and criminals.”

“We take reports of robbery and any violent crime incredibly seriously. We always work hard to provide the appropriate support for victims of these types of crime so they feel able to come forward and work with us so we can get a successful prosecution.”

Wiltshire Police added that national campaigns and high profile cases have encouraged more victims of sexual violence to come forward.

Det Supt Carter said: “We take reports of rape and sexual assault incredibly seriously and we always work hard to provide the appropriate support for victims of these types of crime.”

The figures, released by the ONS on Thursday, show that drug offences fell by 15 per cent last year. In Swindon, arson and criminal damage reports have halved in the past decade.

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While reports of burglaries are on the up, Wiltshire Police say that this is partly explained by changes in reporting systems. 

Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden said: “Our crime increase is lower than the national and regional figures and compared to similar sized forces we are well below the average crime figures. However, we are not complacent and remain focused when it comes to tackling all crime and criminals.

“As a force we are constantly changing our processes and are pro-actively putting into practice the recommendations made. A good example of this is the introduction of the Community Tasking Teams (CTT) last year and their on-going work, with burglary continuing to be a Force priority.

“The CTTs have targeted the small number of prolific offenders responsible for most of burglaries in our communities.”