Crime in Warwickshire at record low, says police

**Students living off campus may now be less at risk from crime, according to a report from Warwickshire Police, which recorded the lowest ever crime rates in the county.**

Over the past six years since they began recording crime statistics, the force have seen crime levels plummet.

They recorded an 11 per cent decrease in overall crime. This includes an 8.3 per cent decrease in vehicle crimes, an 8.3 per cent decrease in anti-social behaviour, a 9 per cent decrease in acts of serious violence, a 12.3 per cent decrease in home burglaries, and a 15 per cent decrease in robberies.

Warwickshire Police told the _Boar_ that developing strong links with the community has helped them crack down on crime in the area.

“As a result of [these links] the police have benefited from information being passed to the police about suspicious activity and known criminals,” a spokesperson said.

“In turn, the police are able to identify those who are causing most harm within our communities. The reduction in crime reflects this increased focus on those who commit crime.”

Ben Sundell, Welfare and Campaigns Officer for Warwick Students’ Union (SU), was pleased by the report.

“Given that Home Office statistics suggest that up to one-third of students could be the victim of crime whilst studying at university, it is really encouraging to see falling levels of crime in areas where our students live,” he said.

Mr Sundell noted that in around 25 per cent of cases, a burglar enters a home through an unlocked door or window, so simple measures such as locking all doors and windows are important.

“Make sure that you don’t leave valuable belongings on show, and be wary of the colours and size of items on display that could catch the eye,” he further advised.

But the report does not mean that students should be any less cautious.

Vlad Makeev, a third-year English student, said “I live on the rim of South Leamington and I have noticed there is a gaping hole in the police force. I think they could do with tightening up their act.”

He said that he recently witnessed an assault on his street as he was returning from a shopping trip.

“I’m not sure if the police did anything about it, but it does frighten me to witness this.”

The report was compiled by comparing data from April 2012 to September 2012 with data from the same period in 2011.