Working together to keep crime low

The latest crime statistics, released today (22 July) show that, despite a very small rise in crime, Sevenoaks District remains one of the safest places to live in the county, and include significant falls in burglary, vehicle crime and violence.

Statistics for the period April 2003 to March 2004 show that crime has risen by 55 incidents, amounting to a rise of just under 1%, compared with a rise of just over 5% in Kent as a whole. The main rise both in the District and in the county has been due to criminal damage.

The figures were released by the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership, which brings together all the agencies in the District that can have an effect on reducing crime.

As criminal damage has been highlighted in the statistics, through a special task group, the Community Safety Partnership will now develop targeted plans to tackle this problem. A similar response to anti-social behaviour, which has been identified in previous annual statistics, has helped towards addressing the issue.

Robin Hales, Chair of the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership, says: "Whilst we are disappointed that there has been a very small rise in crime, these figures demonstrate that the District is benefiting from the huge number of focussed community safety projects which contribute to keeping crime low. However, where specific problems are identified we take targeted action to address the problem, and over the coming months criminal damage, which can blight the lives of our residents, will be very high on our priority list."

This year the partnership has run over 80 projects designed to tackle crime.

Initiatives have included:
·Over 100 areas cleaned of graffiti by the Probation Service
·A number of Police-led drugs operations resulting in 60 arrests for Class A drugs and over 250 cars being stop and searched
·Work to address anti-social behaviour has included issuing 22 warning letters, agreeing four acceptable behaviour agreements and issuing one interim Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)
·External funding has been used to make improvements to street lighting, support focussed youth work and support the Sevenoaks Town Centre Partnership, which has been presented with the Safer Shopping Award
·Further wardens/Police Community Support Officers deployed in the District - taking the total to seven with more to follow in 2004-5
·Over 200 untaxed cars removed through the multi-agency Operation Cubit
·Over 20 homes made safe through schemes for vulnerable and elderly residents
·Over 60 home fire safety checks conducted by the Kent Fire & Rescue Service.

More information about crime statistics in your area and Kent can be found by visiting www.kentcaddie.org.uk  National crime statistics can be seen by visiting www.crimestatistics.org.uk

More details of the work that has been carried out in the year can be found by visiting the website www.sevenoaks-csp.org.uk