It’s time for the quarterly round up of crime statistics for the West Midlands area. We bring you the latest numbers and trends of four main types of crime – burglary, shoplifting, vehicle crime and cycle theft – so you can stay informed and aware of these incidents. These crimes are all ones which our security products and services can help you avoid experiencing through having an intruder alarm, CCTV, and good security practices when away from the home.
The period of April to June 2024 saw 4,207 burglaries. This number is down 347 on the numbers for the first quarter and is lower than the same period in the previous year. We can attribute some of this to the weather because we had a lot of rain over that period. The wet weather meant people didn’t leave windows open for opportunist thieves, nor were they going on days out, thereby leaving the house unoccupied.
Occupancy is one of the biggest deterrents for burglars, but we think the new WMP local policing model is also having an impact – with more officers on the streets and response times going down, burglary is becoming a less and less attractive crime.
The rise in shoplifting rates may be linked to the burglary trend – with people still struggling to make ends meet there are fewer new purchases to be stolen from residential properties. Thieves who might otherwise steal from a home may be finding they have better luck stealing from the source. In the second quarter of 2024 there were 7,439 incidents of shoplifting, a drastic 1,283 rise. That represents just over 427 extra incidents every month and the last time rates were this high was over the summer months of 2023.
We know that the cost of living crisis has driven shoplifting rates up, but this latest surge is worrying. Whilst it might be linked to the drop in residential burglaries in terms of supply, we also know that the local police force has been focusing on prolific shoplifters over the past few months. We recommend to store owners that they tighten up their security, keep valuable and desirable items behind counters, and read up on our retail security blogs for more ideas. We can provide extra CCTV, access control for stock rooms and offer more advice when we visit your premises ahead of installing extra devices.
Good news for motorists – vehicle crime rates have dropped by 321 incidents per quarter with 8,286 crimes reported for the second quarter of 2024. When we look at the trends from 2023 onwards, we can see a general decrease in the rates of car theft and theft from vehicles. The West Midlands Police’s focus on chop shops is paying dividends, with fewer automobiles ending up stripped for parts and sold on.
Vehicle crime will always be a concern, but we have written extensively on the subject with several ideas and products you can use to keep your vehicles safe from being stolen. Domestic CCTV covering your driveway or other approaches is a great idea to keep both your car and your house safe from thieves. Car alarms, immobilisers, steering locks and signal blocking pouches for keyless car fobs are an absolute must for drivers.
Bike theft has risen a little as it always does as the weather turns nicer. May and June saw a big jump from April (117 in April, to 184 in May) and this is in line with seasonal expectations. This type of crime is driven by supply and demand, and people want to cycle more when the weather’s not dreadful. Security marking on your bike, removing quick-release components, and locking it with two locks, or keeping it indoors, are all things cyclists can do to keep their pride and joy safe.
We hope our readers aren’t among these statistics here, and to avoid becoming one of these numbers we recommend using security products and services from us, in combination with your own procedures and crime-specific tips to reduce the chances of you having your bike or car stolen, or of being burgled. Contact P&R Alarms today to stop you being a number in the next statistics round up.