CRIME has been on the increase in Newquay in the past year.

There was an 11.1 per cent hike in the total number of offences in the 12 months to February 2 after 2,556 offences were recorded.

The increases include a 15.6 per cent rise in violence with injury offences after 371 incidents were recorded and a 14.2 per cent hike in violence without injury following 403 offences being logged.

There was a 42.6 per cent rise in stalking and harassment following 261 incidents being recorded and an 8.5 per cent hike in residential burglary after 51 offences being logged.

Other offence group increases saw an 8.6 per cent hike in vehicle offences after 76 offences were recorded, a 7.5 per cent rise in shoplifting following 215 offences being logged and a 20.2 per cent hike in criminal damage after 274 offences were recorded.

There was a 43.8 per cent rise in public order incidents after 161 offences were recorded, a 27.3 per cent hike in trafficking of drugs following 28 offences being logged and a 42.2 per cent increase in possession of drugs as a result of 118 offences being recorded.

A number of offence groups saw a decrease in the 12 months to February 2, which included a four per cent drop in rape after 48 incidents were recorded whilst the other sexual offences offence group saw a 1.3 per cent reduction after 77 offences were logged.

There was a 46.8 per cent reduction in business and community burglary after 25 incidents were recorded whilst theft from person offences dropped 38.1 per cent following 26 incidents being logged.

Insp Johnson said: “The Increases in stalking and harassment offences are not all domestic related.

“It is reassuring that awareness is there and they are being recorded properly, however many of them are secondary offences and as a result of the Home Office counting rules.

“Possession of drugs is up as well as miscellaneous crimes against society, which includes forged documents, going equipped and dangerous driving.”

Police recorded a 15.2 per cent increase in crimes in the 28 days prior to February 2 after 159 offences were recorded.

Offence groups that have seen an increase include violence with injury following a 28.6 per cent rise after 18 incidents were recorded and an 88.9 hike in criminal damage offences after 17 incidents were logged.

Business burglary incidents rose by 300 per cent after four incidents were logged, vehicle offences increased by 183.3% after 17 incidents were recorded and there was a 116.7 per cent hike in public order offences after 13 incidents were logged.

There was a 13.8 per cent drop in violence without injury offences following 25 offences being recorded.

Insp Johnson said: “Business burglary is down over 12 months but recent burglaries at the SPAR are reflected in these figures.

“Enquiries are in hand and there has been good work by the local community to help us join the dots.

“Vehicle offences is another increase including thefts from and interference.

“The criminal damage increase is graffiti. It is an ongoing piece of work which is proving frustrating.”