Crime in Chesterfield rose by 17 per cent over the last year, figures show

Official police records show there were 10,004 offences in Chesterfield in the 12 months to March compared to the previous year - when there were 8,561.

Chesterfield recorded 95.3 crimes per 1,000 people, which was higher than the rate across England and Wales - at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months 353 were sexual offences – an increase of 22 per cent from the year before.

Meanwhile violent crime has risen in the area from 3,427 to 4,274 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence without injury - which rose by 40 per cent, from 1,130 incidents to 1,586.

And theft offences rose by 5 per cent, with 2,513 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 23.9 crimes per 1,000 people, that was slightly lower than the rate across England and Wales which stood at 25.1.

Commenting on the figures, Derbyshire Constabulary Chief Superintendent Hayley Barnett said: “The statistics show an increase in some areas of crime for the Chesterfield area.

“They have been compared to the previous year when crime was low in all force areas due to national lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There has been increased reporting for offences such as sexual, violent crime and stalking and harassment.

"This is as a result of a better understanding by the public of what behaviour constitutes as an offence, increased training for officers ensuring that staff are able to identify domestic abuse, offer support to survivors and provide the best outcome for victims through a combination of safeguarding, diversionary tactics and the criminal justice system.”

Chi Supt Barnett said the force was “constantly working” to prevent and tackle crime and ASB through a multi-agency approach.

She added: “We work with our partners to deliver a range of services and methods to target a variety of crime including car crime, burglaries, ASB and violence.

"Weekly ASB meetings take place and targeted action is put in place following intelligence received.

“Our officers have a night-time economy strategy where they carry out patrols in hotspot areas across the town centre working with businesses and licenced premises. This has helped in tackling public order offences and drink related violence.

“Everyday officers work with regional, national and international partners to disrupt the supply of firearms and help find those who are carrying weapons including through a recent campaign tackling county lines drug dealing.

“We will continue to gather intelligence, work with the public, partners and businesses to ensure that Chesterfield remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Crimes recorded in Chesterfield included:

- 353 sexual offences, a rise of 22 per cent

- 4,274 violent offences, a rise of 25 per cent

- 1,027 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 10 per cent

- 245 drug offences, down 17 per cent

- 93 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, an increase of five

- 1,221 public order offences, up 35 per cent

- 2,513 theft offences, a rise of 5 per cent

- 1,617 stalking and harassment offences, up 21 per cent

A message from Phil Bramley, Derbyshire Times Editor: Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe