Sharp surge in Bognor's drug crimes

The category of crimes linked to the illegal substances has risen steeply in the past year, latest figures show.

The Sussex Police statistics reveal that June saw 15 drugs matters recorded by officers. Five of these were in Hotham ward and four in neighbouring Marine.

The monthly figure took the total recorded crimes in that category for the year to the end of June to 242 in the Bognor area.

This compares to 150 in the preceding year.

The steep rise confirms the police's comments to the Observer in July that increased enforcement activity was taking place against suspected dealing and use of substances such as heroin, cannabis and cocaine.

Incidences of most other categories of crime around Bognor fell in the 12 months to June when the period for the year before was taken into account.

Assaults with injury were significantly down 20 per cent from 693 to 555, while serious violence also fell from 34 incidents to 24 '“ a drop of almost 30 per cent.

Thefts from vehicles dropped from 318 to 289 and thefts of vehicles similarly fell from 140 to 109.

Robberies were also down to 29 from 35 along with burglaries (200 to 188) and criminal damage from 1,494 to 1,348. Only anti social behaviour spoiled the trend with a rise to 2,365 incidents against 2,217.

The picture is repeated throughout the Arun district. There has been a 15.7 per cent reduction in recorded crime in the first half of 2008 when measured against 12 months earlier. This works out to 765 fewer victims of crimes.

The areas of domestic burglary, vehicle crime, criminal damage and serious violent crime all record falls in crime which exceed the targets set in the police's West Downs division's performance plan for this year.

Although the figures are encouraging, Arun officers remain vigilant and continue to monitor incidents and trends daily to ensure that there is a swift response to any emerging crime series.

The district's partnership and performance sergeant, Danny West, explained: "There is a daily meeting on the district and then the division, in which the incidents that have occurred overnight are discussed in length. This helps us to allocate resources where needed and focus on the core group of offenders who are responsible for a significant percentage of the crime being committed.

"This, coupled with the investment into neighbourhood specialist teams, the PCs and PCSOs that are working with the community, is contributing to the decline in reported crime."

These are the detailed crime figures for electoral wards around Bognor Regis.

They are in three columns. The first shows the number of incidents in June, the second those in the 12 months to the end of June and the third the number in the previous 12 months. No crimes recorded is indicated by -.

Anti-social behaviour

Aldwick East 9 155 94

Aldwick West 4 48 47

Barnham 13 157 172

Bersted 30 230 250

Climping - 25 20

Felpham East 4 76 65

Felpham West 13 82 72

Ford 2 35 4

Hoe Lane - 3 2

Hotham 11 291 274

Marine 15 339 230

Middleton 10 70 73

Orchard 21 233 218

Pagham 10 117 107

Pevensey 15 331 398

Slindon 3 24 16

Walberton 5 54 55

Yapton 18 95 83

Assault with injury

Aldwick E 2 18 15

Aldwick W - 1 4

Barnham 6 29 49

Bersted 3 34 38

Climping - 2 2

Felpham E 1 10 19

Felpham W 1 14 13

Ford 3 8 5

Hotham 8 105 118

Marine 4 162 199

Middleton 1 14 13

Orchard 4 56 79

Pagham 1 16 31

Pevensey 5 68 87

Slindon - 2 -

Walberton 1 5 6

Yapton - 11 15

Serious violence

Aldwick E - - 1

Aldwick W - 1 -

Barnham - - 2

Climping - 1 1

Felpham E - - 1

Felpham W - - 1

Hotham- 4 3

Marine - 8 16

Middleton - - -

Orchard - 4 2

Pagham - - 2

Pevensey - 3 2

Slindon - - -

Walberton - - 1

Yapton 1 1 1

Theft from vehicle

Aldwick E 1 18 10

Aldwick W - 4 8

Barnham 2 21 42

Bersted 3 32 26

Climping - 12 7

Felpham E - 10 11

Felpham W - 11 14

Ford - 6 10

Hoe Lane - 1 -

Hotham 2 29 36

Marine 3 30 28

Middleton - 10 8

Orchard - 32 38

Pagham - 13 20

Pevensey 1 22 17

Slindon - 10 15

Walberton - 16 16

Yapton 2 12 12

Theft of vehicle

Aldwick E 1 5 3

Aldwick W - 2 3

Barnham 2 11 33

Bersted 2 23 6

Climping - 5 4

Felpham E 1 3 3

Felpham W - 2 2

Ford - - 3

Hotham 1 9 12

Marine - 11 14

Middleton 1 1 2

Orchard 1 13 15

Pagham - 8 7

Pevensey - 7 16

Slindon - - 1

Walberton - 4 4

Yapton - 5 12

Robbery

Aldwick E - 4 -

Aldwick W - 2 -

Barnham - - 2

Bersted - - 3

Felpham - 1 -

Felpham - 1 2

Hotham - 4 8

Marine 1 5 9

Middleton - - 1

Orchard 1 2 8

Pagham - 1 -

Pevensey - 8 1

Yapton - 1 1

No figures given for Walberton

Drugs offences

Aldwick E 1 19 8

Aldwick W - 4 8

Barnham 2 15 6

Bersted - 13 3

Climping - 2 1

Felpham E - 4 5

Felpham W 1 4 4

Ford - 6 6

Hoe Lane - - 1

Hotham 5 55 23

Marine 4 60 46

Orchard - 23 12

Pagham - 7 2

Pevensey 1 24 20

Walberton - 2 4

Yapton 1 4 1

Criminal damage

Aldwick E 5 51 102

Aldwick W 1 44 74

Barnham 8 104 87

Bersted 6 149 158

Climping - 8 8

Felpham E 1 61 67

Felpham W 7 49 56

Ford 1 30 18

Hotham 11 160 181

Marine 16 241 238

Middleton 2 46 54

Orchard 9 131 184

Pagham 1 47 75

Pevensey 10 153 222

Slindon - 9 8

Walberton 1 13 21

Yapton 3 52 43

Burglary

Aldwick E - 9 22

Aldwick W - 2 11

Barnham 1 9 28

Bersted 1 18 19

Climping 1 4 2

Felpham E 1 9 1

Felpham W - 6 4

Ford - 3 -

Hoe Lane - 1 1

Hotham 1 23 21

Marine 1 36 23

Middleton 2 24 19

Pagham - 7 11

Pevensey 1 21 21

Slindon - 1 2

Walberton - 7 6

Yapton - 1 4

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