Burglaries more than double in York

Burglaries in York have more than doubled in the past year, according to the latest figures from police.

And force bosses say the increase is a “pretty serious” issue.

A report prepared for a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner meeting says the number of burglaries recorded in York in April 2019 is more than 51 per cent higher than for the same month in 2018.

Ciaron Irvine, temporary assistant chief constable at North Yorkshire Police, said there are big percentage increases in some areas but that it was in part due to an increase on low numbers.

Burglary coordinator

Last April 60 burglaries were reported in York but last month there were 91.

The meeting heard that a “burglary coordinator” has been employed to help tackle the problem and that areas in North Yorkshire are targeted by travelling criminals.

ACC Irvine said:

• York and Selby have got a burglary coordinator in place now because they have seen an increase, as is noted in the figures.

  Locally over the last quarter we are starting to see some control coming back on burglary in York and Selby.

  It is still a very safe place to live.
  

But Will Naylor, deputy police and crime commissioner, said an increase in burglaries has an impact on residents: “When when you live somewhere very safe and then burglary doubles, albeit the numbers are low, the community feel that doubling.”

The meeting heard that there is a possibility of criminals travelling into North Yorkshire to commit burglaries but neighbouring police forces “may have other priorities”.

Police, fire and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan said: “We do suspect in the rural areas that a lot of the property and acquisitive crime is organised.

“It might not necessarily be serious but it is very definitely organised.”

However she added that the increase in burglaries is “pretty serious” because of the scale of the problem.

ASB improvements

The meeting also heard that there have been improvements in tackling anti social behaviour (ASB) – with the number of incidents going down from 667 in April 2018 to 610 this April.

Mrs Mulligan said:

• We’ve got good news on ASB.

  That’s interesting because the people we get coming to talk to us used to come and talk a lot about ASB and they’re now not doing so and they’re now coming to talk to us about drugs and burglaries.
  

Earlier this month policing Minister Nick Hurd revealed that a national ‘burglary taskforce’ would be created in an effort to reduce the crime around the country and that it would be supported in North Yorkshire.

The taskforce will see police forces work with industry leads, charities including Crimestoppers and Victim Support and the government “to look at what more can be done to combat these crimes and to agree actions”.