Police investigating knife crime increase
Police in Mid Wales are looking into the reasons behind a rise in knife crime and have offered assurances that the region remains one of the safest places in England and Wales.
Office for National Statistics figures show Dyfed-Powys Police recorded a rise of over 44 per cent in knife crime in 2018-19, compared to the previous year.
The police force recorded 229 offences involving knives last year, up from 158 in 2017/18.
Overall crime went up eight per cent.
Police bosses say the force is making significant improvements in recording crime.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Evans said: “The crime figures released show that the Dyfed-Powys area remains one of the safest places to live in, work in, and visit, across the whole of England and Wales.
"That’s something we’re very proud of, but it won’t make us complacent to the threat that new and emerging crime brings.
“We are making significant improvements in recording crime, and officers are now trained to spot hidden crimes and signs of abuse which previously went unreported.
"The figures are a snapshot of a complex picture and an increase in one area may mean dips in others because of better recording and categorisation."
Proactive
She said Dyfed-Powys Police has also been taking proactive action to raise awareness of stalking and harassment among the public and staff to ensure victims feel confident to come forward.
Speaking about knife crime, she said the police force had seen a 'steady increase' but the trend nationally had also risen.
She added: "We’ve been doing work to understand this small increase, as not all crimes recorded under the category are the typical types of knife crime we see reported in the media.
"The category encapsulates a lot of different crime types and can include reports where it is claimed a knife is seen, but not proven to be found.
"It should be noted that our average knife crime figures per population are significantly lower than the England and Wales average.
“We will continue to work closely with our partners through local and regional serious and organised crime boards and with Welsh Government to understand the issues and drive preventative work.”
Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 27,915 total crimes last year.
The force reported an 18 per cent rise in crimes of violence against a person, a 38 per cent increase in stalking and harassment offences and there was a 44 per cent rise in weapon possession crimes.
