Suffolk Ranked Among UK’s Safest Counties Following Eight-Year Low in Knife Crime

Suffolk has been designated as one of the “safest places in the country” after new data revealed that reports of knife crime have reached their lowest level in eight years. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicate that Suffolk Police recorded 303 offenses involving a knife between June 2023 and June 2024. In contrast, during the 12 months leading up to June 2022, the force documented 485 knife crime reports across the county, marking an approximate 38% reduction. This latest statistic represents the lowest instance of knife crime in Suffolk since the period spanning April 2015 to March 2016, when 277 crimes were reportedly committed with a knife. The overall recorded crime rate for the 12 months ending June 2024 also saw a decrease of 7.4%, settling at 59.9 crimes per 1,000 people, with approximately 46,000 crimes reported. According to senior officials at Suffolk Police, this places Suffolk among the top three counties in the UK where residents are least likely to experience crime. Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s police and crime commissioner, stated: “These are a very positive set of statistics which show Suffolk as one of the safest places.” He further commented: “I appreciate these statistics may be little consolation to anyone who has been a victim of crime, but it is good news for Suffolk as a whole.” In addition to knife crime, reductions were observed in reports of bicycle crime (-24.1%), stalking and harassment (-24.1%), public order offenses (-18.4%), and robbery (-14.6%). Further decreases were noted in drug offending (-12.1%), sexual offences (-4.5%), domestic burglary (-3.8%), criminal damage/arson (-2.2%), and possession of weapons (-1%). Conversely, slight increases were recorded in reports of theft (+0.2%), vehicle offences (+1.4%), burglary (2.3%), and shoplifting (+7.7%), while non-residential burglary rose by 12.4%. Deputy Chief Constable Rob Jones remarked: “Declining levels of recorded crime do nothing to alleviate the personal trauma and distress victims of crime experience.” He added: “But to add context, in the period covering December 2019 to December 2020 the force was ranked 13th in the country – that clearly shows the progress we’ve made.” Jones emphasized: “Our priority remains improving detection rates for victims and we are always looking to make sure our detectives have the right investigative skills for the modern age.” He concluded: “As always, we remain grateful for the support from Suffolk residents which is demonstrated every time we appeal for help to prevent crime or catch criminals.” For updates on Suffolk news, follow on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.