Crime in Mid Sussex: police records show sharp fall in number of offences

By Katie Williams, Data Reporter

Sussex Police recorded 6,238 offences in Mid Sussex in the 12 months to September, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was a decrease of 13 per cent compared to the previous year, when there were 7,155.

At 41 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 82.4.

Crimes recorded in Mid Sussex included:

245 sexual offences, a decrease of four per cent.

2,439 violent offences, a decrease of nine per cent.

727 incidents of criminal damage and arson, down 21 per cent.

261 drug offences, down 19 per cent.

64 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, down 40.

701 public order offences, up one per cent.

1,618 theft offences, down 17 per cent.

730 stalking and harassment offences, up one per cent.

Around 5.8 million offences were recorded across England and Wales in the year to September – a two per cent rise compared to the previous year – though there was a one per cent drop to 4.9 million offences when excluding cases of fraud and computer misuse.

Police forces across the two nations logged the highest number of rapes and sexual offences in a 12-month period in the year to September, the figures show.

Around 63,100 rapes were recorded in the year to September, according to the Office for National Statistics, up 13 per cent from the previous period (56,100).

This was the highest recorded annual figure to date and included 17,400 offences between July and September – the highest quarterly figure.

The ONS said the latest figures may reflect several factors, including the “impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people’s willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims”, and it urged caution when interpreting the data.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Nobody should have to experience the horror of rape and other sexual crimes.

“It’s encouraging that more victims of sexual violence are coming forward, and we’ve been clear that police must raise the bar in handling such cases so victims know that they will be taken seriously and criminals responsible are put behind bars.”