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Spotty showers; coldNews
Town bucks national trend in violent crime
13/ 2/2002
VIOLENT crime in Middleton has not risen dramatically despite a recent report from the Home Office highlighting a sharp increase nationally.
The report stated street crime had risen by more then one quarter in less than a year, but Middleton's Chief Inspector Ian Lomax said the figures do not apply to Middleton.
He said: "I can only talk in relation to Middleton and have looked at the monthly robbery figures and although they bounce around, we are talking single figures. Robbery can include anything from using threatening behaviour to take a mobile phone, right up to holding up a security vehicle. We have seen a slight rise, but these figures do not reflect the national statistics."
A survey of the 43 police forces in England and Wales showed that offences of violence had increased by 26 per cent. The biggest increase in muggings - 48 per cent in a year - was recorded by West Yorkshire Police.
Following a high profile City Safe campaign, Greater Manchester Police announced a dramatic reduction in city centre assaults over Christmas. Between 21 December and 2 January, serious assaults dropped by 56 per cent. The latest figures from Operation Hawk, a scheme launched by GMP to combat street crime, show robbery from the person only rose by 2.8 per cent between April and November 2001.
Chief Inspector Lomax added: "I would like to reassure the people of Middleton the number of violent crimes of this nature is low in relation to elsewhere. I would also urge anyone with information on those committing these crimes, or any witnesses to these crimes, to come forward."
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