Warm summer prompts spike in police incidents

Sgt Steve Hinchliffe told Dewsbury Area Committee: “We’ve had some fantastic comparative reductions in burglaries, but we’ve had some increases in other areas.

“We’re putting this down to the better summer we’ve had this year. People are out more often which is the reason.”

Crime figures for August and September were shared for Dewsbury East, Dewsbury South and Mirfield – but Sgt Hinchcliffe said he had not been given figures for the Dewsbury West ward.

They revealed an increase in alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and nuisance behaviour by adults in Dewsbury East, a ward which includes the town centre.

Nuisance behaviour by youths in Dewsbury South was up by eight incidents compared to the same period in 2012, but alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and nuisance behaviour by adults had both fallen.

Sgt Hinchcliffe said: “It’s because we’re out there stopping these kids that there’s been an increase. We’re recording these incidents.”

In Mirfield, alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and nuisance behaviour by adults were down by 11 and four incidents respectively.

Sgt Hinchcliffe said action was being taken after a rise in complaints about nuisance motorbikes and quads in Dewsbury East and South.

“We’ve had the motorcycle team back on the street again trying to target this,” he said.

The latest figures showed overall crime was down in all three wards, with shoplifting, criminal damage and burglary all reduced in Dewsbury East.

Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dews East) said: “I remember talking about the number of burglaries when they were going through the roof.

“I have to say the success, I feel, is because there’s a lot of community-based policing. It think it’s excellent and the results show that.”