Crime in the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales has reduced by almost two per cent in the last year, for the seventh year consecutively.
The figures, published by the Home Office last Thursday (July 15), reveal that burglary across the area fell by 7.8 per cent, meaning there were 33 fewer victims. Vehicle crime dropped by more than 13.5 per cent (125 fewer victims) and criminal damage fell by 11.2 per cent, meaning there were 245 fewer victims across the division.
Chief Superintendent Peter Lewis, Divisional Commander for the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales said: “It’s pleasing to see further reductions in crime, both in the High Peak and in the Derbyshire Dales, which is the result of the work of our officers, staff and close partnership working with the local authorities, Neighbourhood Watch and the public.”
To tackle burglaries, several initiatives took place during the last year, involving both the police and communi! ty safety partnerships in the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales.
In Gamesley, officers from the Safer Neighbourhood policing team were joined by volunteers from the University of Derby Buxton to visit vulnerable residents, offering safety and security advice.
High Peak Community Housing provided funding for the project, which saw hundreds of alarm motion sensors and light timers installed for Gamesley residents.
C/Supt Lewis said he hoped residents felt reassured following several successful burglar convictions during the past year. In July 2009, a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence was handed to prolific burglar Trevor Cohen, from Hyde, Manchester. Cohen had burgled 71 homes in Glossop, Charlesworth, Tintwistle, Birch Vale, Furness Vale, Gamesley, Hadfield and Chinley areas between 2001 and 2009.
Jean Wharmby, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development at High Peak Borough Council, said: “These latest figures confirm! that we live in a safe part of the world. They also show that the com munity safety partnership is continuing to tackle crime and the fear of crime most effectively. In turn, this will help reduce the fear of crime”.
In the Derbyshire Dales, Dales Housing, Safer Derbyshire Dales Community Safety Partnership, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Guinness Northern Counties Housing and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and voluntary organisations joined police on visits to more than 900 homes as part of Operation Hever.
Homes in Wirksworth, Baslow and Hurst Farm in Matlock were targeted in a safety blitz, with residents being offered crime prevention advice, Selecta DNA property marking kits and other safety information.
Vehicle crime has also been a priority in the Derbyshire Dales, with the Safer Derbyshire Dales Community Safety Partnership and police providing more than £1,500 to subsidise the cost of ‘disk loks’ for Land Rover Defender owners, to help prevent and reduce the number of thefts.
In the ! High Peak, two police constables received a Divisional Commanders Commendation for their investigation into a large quantity of thefts of vehicle badges.
As a result, two boys from Glossop were ordered to pay £150 compensation each for stealing the badges and more than 40 badges were recovered.
Eleven other police officers have been recognised for their part in a major operation, which saw nine people jailed for more than 60 years for dealing drugs in the High Peak.
In addition to arresting and charging a large number of street level dealers, who were all given a variety of sentences by the courts, the investigation also addressed the control of this drugs activity by a Manchester-based Organised Crime Group.
The use of violence and intimidation to force dealers into compliance, the mixing of dangerous substances with the drugs to further increase profits and the possession of firearms all posed a real threat to the community.
C/Supt Lewis said: “It is a combination of proactive and posi tive policing as well as effective partnership working which has shown real success in helping to achieve positive results in reducing these crimes.”
Violent crime in the area has seen an increase in the past year, with a 2.8 per cent rise in the Dales (19 more victims) and an 8.3 per cent increase in the High Peak (103 more victims).
C/Supt. Lewis said: “We are finding that more victims of domestic violence are coming forward to report this type of offence because they feel more confident in the police and partner agencies and the help and support services that are available for them.
“We are though conscious that often alcohol misuse can contribute to violence and disorder and we will maintain our commitment to targeting this along with other partnership agencies, despite the real challenges the police and other public sector bodies will face over the next few years.”
Notes
Derbyshire Dales
All crime reduced! by 1.8 per cent (56 fewer victims)
Domestic burglary reduced by 14 per cent (17 fewer victims)
Vehicle crime reduced by 13.7 per cent (47 fewer victims)
Criminal damage reduced by 7.9 per cent (52 fewer victims)
High Peak
All crime reduced by 1.7 per cent (97 fewer victims)
Domestic burglary reduced by 5.3 per cent (16 fewer victims)
Vehicle crime reduced by 13.3 per cent (78 fewer victims)
Criminal damage reduced by 12.6 per cent (193 fewer victims)