CRIME has risen over the last year in North Hampshire, official police records reveal.

Hampshire Constabulary recorded 24,530 offences in North Hampshire in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 21 per cent compared to the previous year, when there were 20,319.

However, at 66.3 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 1,063 were sexual offences – an increase of 32 per cent from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has soared in the area, from 8,467 to 11,086 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in stalking and harassment, which rose by 47 per cent, from 2,470 incidents to 3,622.

And theft offences rose by 12 per cent, with 5,374 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

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At 14.5 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in North Hampshire included:

1,063 sexual offences, a rise of 32 per cent

11,086 violent offences, a rise of 31 per cent

2,288 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 11 per cent

761 drug offences, down 9 per cent

279 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, up 5 per cent

3,074 public order offences, up 24 per cent

5,374 theft offences, a rise of 12 per cent

3,622 stalking and harassment offences, up 47 per cent

 

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