Crime has fallen in Richmond, official figures show

File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

Crime has fallen over the last year in Richmond, official police records reveal.

The Met Police recorded 11,306 offences in Richmond in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was a decrease of 3% compared to the previous year, when there were 11,629.

And, at 57.1 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, 363 were sexual offences – an increase of 48% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has fallen in the area, from 3,051 to 2,987 over this period.

And theft offences fell by 2%, with 5,446 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 27.5 crimes per 1,000 people, that was slightly higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Richmond included:

363 sexual offences, a rise of 48%2,987 violent offences, a decrease of 2%926 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 4%368 drug offences, down 41%55 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, an increase of five833 public order offences, up 4%5,446 theft offences, down 2%915 stalking and harassment offences, down 11%