Crime statistics are cause for concern

Councillor Phil Bateman said "Whilst on the subject of crime it is worth noting that here in Ashmore Park there has been an unfortunate rise in the numbers of crime taking place. In 2007 we had some really big 'spikes' in the statistics."

Commenting further he said "In January(2007) at the start of the year there were just 27 crimes reported. By April that crime number had grown to 44 crimes being reported on Ashmore Park per month. It is important to say though that whilst these crimes attract our attention.

The overall figures for the neighbourhood still places Wednesfield North and Ashmore Park well below the crime statistics of other Neighbourhoods in the City and in the West Midlands.

We are no where near the crime levels of other parts of the West Midlands. But it is because it is such a desirable place to live. That any changes to the crime scene needs to be addressed.

Hence the intense interest in the subject by residents and others who have a real stakeholder awareness in the progress and development of our community.

At the beginning of May 2007 crime fell dramatically to just 22 crimes. Then for whatever reason the trend starts growing and growing quite strongly upwards.

In August we see crimes almost touching 60 per month and in December its reached 63 crimes per month.The largest figure in the years statistics.



So what is the reason for the big shift upwards? A close look at the statistics outlines that criminal damage, is really one of the culprits. So what is criminal damage?

It is the sort of crime that can be explained by damage caused by throwing stones at property, ripping wing mirrors off cars, or kicking holes in the fence. Or put another way acts of vandalism.

Here is the breakdown of the 454 reported crimes in 2007
Burglary accounted for just 23 cases
Criminal damage 134
Wounding 71
Robbery 13
Theft of Motor Vehicle 12
Theft from Motor Vehicle 29
Theft from Person 3
Theft of Pedal Cycle 13
Other Motor Vehicle Crime 3
Common Assault 3
Other Crime 150

All these figures point to the fact that crime rose on Ashmore Park by +14% When across the West Midlands Police force, crime actually reduced by -7%.

I have had a look at what was happening during the year 2007. I did this by analysing what I had been reporting on my web site during the course of the year. The results and the timeline they represent are very interesting.

This is what I had been flagging up on this web site during the months when there had been this big increases in crime.

I met with Superintendent Sally Bourner in July when I told her that in Ashmore Park the community were well served by the police team operating.

However by August criminal damage incidents were very much to the fore and residents were complaining about bus shelter breakages and BT Payphone's being attacked.

In September that concern about the increase in crime starts to feed through and I detect that the community is concerned about what seems low detection rates and the police being very poor at informing the public of their success.

Residents started to complain at the Ashmore Park Police liaison Committee about the police response rate and the efficiency of the service. I report that there was 'disquiet' at the meeting with regards to the events that were happening.

But there was also pleasure shown in the fact that motor crime was being addressed and the police informed that they had arrested the 'bogus caller' that was prowling the area' .

In October there was a bit of glee being shown as we analysed 2006 figures moving forward. They revealed that in the past 12 months (2006) crime had declined! We were also seeing PCSO's on the beat more regularly.

However November started with increased calls from the community in Bucknall Road for the police to take more actions against the criminal damage that was occurring in that area.

November statistics start to show the crime trend moving upwards.There was 47 individual incidents reported in that month.

December shows that reports of groups of youths growing larger. Vandalism is rife and I report on this web site that "my fear is that we are drifting into a more difficult perhaps violent phase'.

I also worry that these large groups of youths will turn into more 'structured gangs'. I make the point that I know that the general crime figures are good for Wednesfield North.But the gangs and the criminal damage being caused is sapping moral.

I have taken a look at the private correspondence that I have also had with the police.

So where does all this lead. Well it points to the fact that we have a problem with criminal damage on the estate, that there is gangs that are causing disquiet. There is also allegations that illegal drinking is fuelling the drift into the malaise we are suffering.

I think that there will be close analysis of the new neighbourhood statistics when they are published. The police on their web site is currently posting information stating that the areas of concern are amongst their priorities.

I remain very interested in what residents or other individuals think of the situation, and what we can do together to make the estate and the neighbourhood better."

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