Crime rises in Leeds over the last year - but figures remain lower than pre-lockdown

Crime has risen over the last year in Leeds, official police records reveal.
By Gemma Jimmison
Published 21st Jul 2020, 11:45 BST
File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.
File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

But with no official crime statistics yet published for the coronavirus lockdown period, police chiefs say their own figures show overall crime remains far below normal levels.

West Yorkshire Police recorded 103,092 offences in Leeds in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics. That was an increase of 3 per cent compared to the previous year, when there were 106,336. At 131 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than across England and Wales at 89.

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Crimes recorded in Leeds included 2,650 sexual offences (down 4%), 36,426 violent offences (up 2%), 10,468 incidents of criminal damage and arson (down 4%), 2,830 drug offences (up 14%), 877 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives (up 2%)

10,331 public order offences (up 7%) and 35,551 thefts (down 10%).

The ONS said crime figures were largely unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic, as the period covered was mostly pre-lockdown.

However, the National Police Chiefs’ Council says its own provisional figures in the four weeks to July 5, show crime has fallen by 14% compared to last year. Previous updates had shown recorded crime was down by 28% for the four weeks to April 12, 25% down for the four weeks to May 10, and 18% down in the four weeks to June 7.

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Marked reductions were seen in residential burglaries, rape, vehicle crime and shoplifting but incidents of domestic abuse rose by 6 per cent. NPCC lead for crime, Chief Cons Andy Cooke, said: “It is no surprise that as more people are able to move around freely, we will begin to see movement towards previous levels. However, this is a gradual change.”

Related topics:LeedsCrimeWest Yorkshire PoliceOffice for National StatisticsWalesEngland

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