Crime in Wiltshire is on the way down, the latest annual statistics for the county show that the number of crimes report dropped by almost 2,000.
This gives a 5.5 per cent overall reduction in crime and also shows that 94.9 per cent of victims said they were satisfied with the way they were treated by Wiltshire police officers.
And Angus Macpherson, elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon last November, reports that it is welcoming news that 86.5 per cent of victims overall are satisfied with the service they they are receiving.
The figure, which is up from 83.2 per cent in 2011/12, and is revealed in the police’s 2012 – 2013 end of financial year performance data.
“One of my six main priorities in my police and crime plan is putting victims and witnesses first,” he told Marlborough News Online. “I am therefore very pleased with these figures in relation to victims being satisfied with the service they are receiving.
“In my plan I have set a number of service level measures I will use to monitor the performance of Wiltshire Police. I want there to be fewer victims of crime and I want them to receive the best possible service from the Force and the whole criminal justice system.
“The number of victims who are satisfied with the overall service they receive from Wiltshire Police stands at 86.5 per cent so there is still more to do.”
As well as the overall 5.5 per cent reduction in crimes reported, there was a 17 per cent drop (199 to 165 incidents reported) in the number of serious violent crimes in the past year.
Theft offences have had the biggest impact on the overall reduction in recorded crime, with the Force recording 37.2 per cent (93) fewer robberies and a reduction in burglary of 5.1 per cent (237 fewer offences).
A 10.8 per cent reduction (420 fewer offences) has also been seen in offences involving vehicles, including theft of vehicles and theft from vehicles.
However, there has been an increase in sexual offences reported at 13.8 per cent in 2012/13. This can largely be attributed to two major investigations into historic sexual offences where significant resource has been invested to identify victims and bring the offenders to justice.
There has also been an increase in less serious violent offences where there is no injury to the victim.
Mr Macpherson added: “It is a main part of my role to monitor Wiltshire Police on its performance and overall I am pleased with these end of year crime statistics.
“I was particularly pleased to see that the total number of reported serious violent crimes in Swindon and the north of the county has fallen by more than 25 per cent.
“There has been a number of high profile assaults in Swindon recently, so this news should help to reassure people that it is a safe place to be.”