Latest figures showing total crime on the Island has fallen over the last year have been welcomed by MP Bob Seely.
Figures show that, as of the end of September 2023, a total of 5,867 offences were committed on the Island over the past 12 months – a reduction of 2.5% on the previous year.
The biggest reduction has been in robbery offences which has seen a reduction of 43.5%. Violent crime is also down with the more serious violence offences showing a drop of 26.4%. Sexual offences have also seen a 15.1% reduction.
Other areas that have seen a fall in numbers are commercial burglary and anti-social behaviour by 23% and 20% respectively.
There has been a slight rise, however, in residential burglary with 10 more offences committed than the previous year, and a larger rise in reports of shoplifting, reports of which have nearly doubled.
Police are encouraging retailers to report these crimes so that they can crack down on the hardcore thieves at the heart of these offences.
Bob Seely said:
“Overall crime is falling. The Police are doing a good job and I thank officers for their important role in our society.
Article continues below this advertisement “In addition, we have 30 more police officers on the Island and dedicated Roads Policing Officers back. I have told Police I want to see more visible policing and more police officers investigating more crimes.
“Police are now encouraging folks in retail to report shoplifting. I am also keen to hear peoples’ experiences. I support a zero-tolerance approach. The additional police officers on the Island mean that we have more police to investigate crime and to arrest criminals.
“Anti-social behaviour offences are also down, although I am aware that some communities are concerned about this, especially in Freshwater, Cowes and Newport. I am supporting the Police and other agencies to deal with the problems produced by a small number of offenders.
“I made my opinions very clear to the courts that they need to be supporting the Police in cracking down on anti-social behaviour. We should not be tolerant of yobbish or abusive behaviour that leaves people in fear.”
This comes after a report stating 45% of calls to police are abandoned due to long waiting times. Just get rid of the call centres altogether then there would be no crime.
Oh give it up Bob, why can’t you put forward anything original, stop “welcoming” everything and earn your crust like the rest of us. Still I guess you might be upping your profile and moving forward on it to try and win on the island in the next election, NOT A CHANCE MATE.
Seely and mosdel what a perfect comedy act. Fun for all to laugh about
Dumber and Dumber
People cant afford to live and shoplifting goes up. Well smack my bum and call me skippy who would of thought it???
The crime figures have fallen because the public know it is a waste of time reporting crimes to the police:
1 – they can’t get through to the police.
2 – If they do, nothing happens in the vast majority of cases.
Some shops don’t exactly help themselves when it comes to shoplifting. I bought a jumper in a shop in Shanklin this week, and as I left the alarms by the door went off. Being an honest person, I waited by the door for a member of staff to come and see what had set off the alarms. And I waited, and I waited. Nobody showed the slightest interest in investigating and other shoppers even smiled at the fact that I waited and no staff came over. Eventually I just left the shop. Why have alarms if you are just going to ignore them.
Everytime I go in Sainsbury and Buy Steak when walking out of the store the
Alarm goes off.
So now I only buy Steak when I go to the tills so the member of staff can detective the
Alarm when leaving the store.
If paying by self service the Zlarm goes off and it make you feel uncomfortable when
leaving the store.
I did bring this matter up with a member of staff and he said that is fine.
It is all getting silly thesedays.
What had set the alarms off?
I don’t know, as there was no security tag on the jumper. Must have been a glitch with the alarm but even so, I would have expected them to investigate. Maybe the alarm goes off so often that they don’t bother to do anything when it goes off?
No excuse to the scum that nik…
I thought the same when shops increased their prices by at
least 50%+, knowing inflation was only 10%
It is legal stealing when shops overcharge Customers.
It’s a funny old game
Poverty, austerity, increased costs of basics, ultra low pay ‘gig’ economy, increased energy cost …
You put faith in the conservatives you get poverty related crime.
Only offences which are recorded can be counted, so they minimise the record to NFA so that no investigation takes place, the old saying A deletion is as good as a detection. As the prisons are full , lets see curfews imposed at their accommodation
The prisons are full because of mass migration here. So never ever again will any meaningful deterrent ever be given for shoplifting , so more do so.
End and return the flotsam drifting this direction and free up space for our own growing criminal benefit kept trash and all their widely scattered clones
Oh look the two biggest waste of tax payers money blowing their traditional hot air together!! One was claiming “victory on County lines” no victory the weather gift wrapped a huge haul of Class A’s even out flatfoot could not ignore, the other only ever turns out for a photo shoot with sleeves rolled up like he has done a proper days work!! Jog on Bob your about as welcome on the Island as that Chinese crab invading our waters, and as for Donna”who knows what her last name is or cares”get a proper job,because nobody on The Island has a clue what you allegedly do for us? Apart from raising our Council taxes for “policing”??
That smug look on it’s face… the irony. His party have fleeced the UK people. The biggest wealth robbers this country has ever know in modern times. He is a spent force, not that he was ever a force, he’s just a mouthpiece for his gangster cronies.
Yes, we all know you are a tory hater. When labour get back in next year you and the thick people who think like you will really find out what poverty and hardship is, and it will serve you right.
There they are the dynamic duo .. crime fighters extraordinaire.. spend tax payers money and deliver very little ..
The Council could help families by reducing Council Tax
Lucky old Bob, he’s got the all clear to commit crime by claiming all those expenses. What a joke of an MP.
All that pilchard does is welcome this,welcome that,dont you realise bob,that a lot doesny get reported because nothing will happen!
god this guy is as thick as
and dopey donna isnt much better either,£80,000 a year shes on,for what?
says she doing this and that,and putting money into things,thinks shes doing a great job,you are putting money back into things that you and the dopey tories cut!
pair of idiots
From the standard of your grammar I don’t think you have the right to call anyone dopey!
bob flashed me him chopper and watched me play in rylstone gardens once
Someone who forgets to pay for a loaf of Bread is branded a crim.
Tory Government spent / wasted £37 Billion pounds of Tax Payers money on a
rubbish Test and Trace system and they get a pay increase.
It’s a funny old game.
But what are the figures compared to three years ago? With just two roads coppers of cause the figures will go down. No one to do random checks and find all the stolen gear.