Crime on the rise in Merton, official figures show
Crime has risen over the last year in Merton, official police records reveal.
The Met Police recorded 13,251 offences in Merton in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThat was an increase of 2% compared to the previous year, when there were 12,929.
However, at 64.2 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.
Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 417 were sexual offences – an increase of 29% from the year before.
Meanwhile, violent crime has risen in the area, from 4,207 to 4,268 over this period.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdOne of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence without injury, which rose by 7%, from 1,651 incidents to 1,764.
And theft offences rose by 11%, with 5,242 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.
At 25.4 crimes per 1,000 people, that was in line with the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.
Crimes recorded in Merton included:
417 sexual offences, a rise of 29%4,268 violent offences, a rise of 1%979 incidents of criminal damage and arson, down 1%614 drug offences, down 35%101 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, down 3%1,060 public order offences, up 3%5,242 theft offences, a rise of 11%1,216 stalking and harassment offences, down 5%