Police defend crime record

Violent crime rose in Leicestershire, but burglary fell

Crime figures show violent crime in Leicestershire has increased, but burglary and vehicle theft have reduced by 1%.

The British Crime Survey figures show that Leicestershire has the lowest rate of burglaries in the East Midlands, with 14 per 10,000 of the population compared with the national average of 17.

The public perception of the police was also more positive at 52%, compared with the national average of 48%.

But violent crime has increased by 3%, and a quarter of incidents in Leicestershire are domestic-related.

Phone thefts

The number of mobile phone thefts in the county has more than doubled since 2000.

Police say covert police operations and initiatives like late-night bus services are helping to reduce violent crime.

They are also pleased at the change in the way crime is reported, with the focus now on each victim rather than each crime.

But Assistant Chief Constable Davina Logan says the change in the way incidents of crime are recorded by the Home Office mean the figures appear higher than they actually are.

Previously, offences were only recorded if officers felt it was necessary to do so.

The result was that a lot of minor crimes never made it onto the books.

The change has meant that for some categories crime appears to be increasing dramatically when it is simply a matter of new research methods.