We keep an eye on the crime trends in our area so we can be prepared to help residents and business owners with their security needs. Seasonal changes certainly impact on the rates of certain types of crime, with violence and anti-social behaviour rising in summer and dropping off when the weather gets colder. Bike thefts follow a similar pattern, while burglaries and shoplifting often increase around Christmas.
Socio-economic factors also influence crime, with the cost of living crisis leading to an exponential growth in shoplifting incidents. The statistics for shoplifting in the first three months of 2023 are quite eye-opening; 5,534 incidents were reported, which is an increase from the last quarter of 2022. October to December of 2022 saw 4,062 instances, itself an increase on the previous three months which saw 3,870 crimes reported. This is a clearly linked to the rising cost of food and other essentials forcing people to steal to survive, either by nicking what they need, or stealing items to order and sell on.
The good news is that the other three types of crime we are interested in are coming down after a period of growth. Bike thefts are down to 413 in the first three months of 2023, compared to 589 in the last quarter of 2022. The colder weather certainly has an effect on crime rates, as with fewer people out cycling in cold weather there are simply fewer bikes available to steal. There’s also a reduced demand for stolen cycles for the same reason. We recommend using a high quality bike lock if you have to leave your bike outside, but ideally you will be able to store your prized pedal power machine indoors.
Vehicle crimes, including theft of the vehicle itself, stealing items from inside a vehicle or damage to a vehicle, have decreased slightly. The first three months of 2023 saw a total of 9,930 incidents reported, which is a small decrease of 147 on the preceding quarter. The rates across January to March were steady with no significant spikes, and the total for the period is in line with the third quarter of 2022 (9,931 vehicle crimes). The general trend for vehicle crime is quite steady – the last significant drop was during the early months of the pandemic when lockdowns had an overall damping effect on crime. The old advice not to leave valuables on display in a vehicle still stands, and drivers should be careful about where they park in unfamiliar areas.
Burglaries are also decreasing in line with seasonal trends. Between January and March 2023 there were 5,324 incidents across the West Midlands which happened at a steady rate across those months. This figure is a drop of 243 on the preceding period in 2022, and similar to the comparable period in 2022 when the first quarter of burglary statistics showed 5,388 incidents were reported.
Homeowners should continue to use intruder alarms, or install one if they have not already. It is also wise not to become complacent as the weather improves. While this often leads to an overall downturn in planned burglaries, opportunists are still presented with many chances to steal garden equipment, bikes and other quick-grab items when things are left unattended outside the house, or windows and doors are left open for ventilation.
Whether you need a full on alarm system, CCTV equipment or simply an audit and advisory session of your property, P&R Alarms are the leading West Midlands security provider you can trust.