THE number of house burglaries in Wiltshire has soared by 46 per cent in the past year.

The increase is 34 per cent above the average for the south west and 25 per cent above the overall figure for England.

Levels of recorded crime in the county, revealed by the Office For National Statistics, show an overall increase of 10 per cent.

Vehicle offences have increased by 26 per cent, compared to a south west average of 14.

The increase in incidents that saw victims subjected to violent assaults was below the average across the region, but was still up 13 per cent in Wiltshire compared to the previous year.

The county saw a reduction in three types of crime, including non-domestic burglary and bicycle offences.

Despite Wiltshire Police acknowledging that the arrival of London gangs in the county was still a serious challenge, the number of recorded drug offences fell by 15 per cent.

The force has suggested that changes in the way crime is recorded are contributing to the increase, yet this explanation has been advanced before and it is not clear what new changes could have had such a significant impact on the figures in the last 12 months specifically.

Angus Macpherson, the Police And Crime Commissioner For Swindon And Wiltshire, said: “We can never be happy to see a rise in recorded crime and it’s always a concern. But I am pleased that again the rise in Wiltshire is below the national trend.“Changes in recording practice have resulted in us seeing the speed at which crime is rising in Wiltshire slowdown.

“Although reassured by the progress made, and systems Wiltshire Police have put in place, the report does identify short term increases in burglary and vehicle crime.

“These have been identified earlier in the year and I asked the Chief Constable to implement comprehensive plans to tackle this.

“I am reassured the improvement plans are demonstrating the force’s work to tackle these spikes.

“I am closely monitoring progress to ensure improvements are being made and we are meeting the needs of those affected by these crimes.”

In recent months the PCC has come under fire, including from some in his own party, for the way resources are deployed.

But at a recent council meeting, Labour said re-allocating resources was not enough.

Chris Watts (Lab - Liden, Eldene and Park South) put forward a motion calling on Swindon MPs to press for more investment.

“The increases in crime demonstrate that police resources in Wiltshire are not as they need to be,” said Coun Watts.

“The Government has left Swindon’s communities exposed, with police numbers the lowest on record at a time when the police are dealing with unprecedented pressure from surging crime.

“These crime statistics show that government cuts are leaving many Swindon residents miserable as a consequence of violent crime, burglary and vehicle offences all dramatically increasing.”

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: “These figures show it is absolutely right that we protected police funding going forward.

“I will always be a strong advocate for that as it’s an issue that fellow local residents raise.”

“I will continue to press the elected PCC to prioritise frontline policing.”