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| Burglaries and knife robberies up | Burglaries and knife robberies up |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Domestic burglaries rose 4% in England and Wales during the third quarter of 2008, official figures indicate. | Domestic burglaries rose 4% in England and Wales during the third quarter of 2008, official figures indicate. |
| The Home Office statistics show robberies with knives or sharp instruments also rose, going up by 18%. | The Home Office statistics show robberies with knives or sharp instruments also rose, going up by 18%. |
| Drugs offences rose, but total recorded crime continued to fall - dropping 3% over the three months to September. | Drugs offences rose, but total recorded crime continued to fall - dropping 3% over the three months to September. |
| The statistics come after the Home Office named 18 police forces involved in a miscounting row over some incidents of serious violence. | The statistics come after the Home Office named 18 police forces involved in a miscounting row over some incidents of serious violence. |
| According to the British Crime Survey - a mass study of the experience of those surveyed rather than reports to the police - the risk of being a victim of crime remained at 23%. | According to the British Crime Survey - a mass study of the experience of those surveyed rather than reports to the police - the risk of being a victim of crime remained at 23%. |
| Within that, the level of overall violent crime was said to be stable. | Within that, the level of overall violent crime was said to be stable. |
| Rises in recorded crime Knife/Sharp instrument robbery: 18%Fraud/forgery: 16% Drugs: 9%Home burglary: 4%Other burglary: 3% Source: Home Office | Rises in recorded crime Knife/Sharp instrument robbery: 18%Fraud/forgery: 16% Drugs: 9%Home burglary: 4%Other burglary: 3% Source: Home Office |
| But crimes recorded by the police showed significant increases in some key areas, including home break-ins, knife or sharp instrument-related violence, and drugs. | |
| The rise in burglaries was the most significant in some years. | The rise in burglaries was the most significant in some years. |
| The 9% rise in recorded drug offences was related to the police's increased use of powers to issue cannabis warnings, said the Home Office. | The 9% rise in recorded drug offences was related to the police's increased use of powers to issue cannabis warnings, said the Home Office. |
| Recorded firearms offences fell by 29% between July and September 2008. | Recorded firearms offences fell by 29% between July and September 2008. |
| Downturn | Downturn |
| Responding to the figures, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith would not be drawn on whether the economic downturn was directly responsible for the rise in burglaries. | Responding to the figures, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith would not be drawn on whether the economic downturn was directly responsible for the rise in burglaries. |
| "It's a fact that there's been an increase and that's worrying," she told the BBC News Channel. | "It's a fact that there's been an increase and that's worrying," she told the BBC News Channel. |
| "That's why last September we started work in the department [asking] if we are facing tough economic times, what will be the impact on crime." | "That's why last September we started work in the department [asking] if we are facing tough economic times, what will be the impact on crime." |
| Ms Smith said that the Home Office was bringing together representatives of vulnerable groups, the police and even DIY stores to work out ways of limiting opportunities for burglars. A new burglary prevention campaign, backed by a special fund, also begins next month. | Ms Smith said that the Home Office was bringing together representatives of vulnerable groups, the police and even DIY stores to work out ways of limiting opportunities for burglars. A new burglary prevention campaign, backed by a special fund, also begins next month. |
| Asked if burglary was directly linked to recession, Ms Smith added: "We don't see this as an inevitability." | Asked if burglary was directly linked to recession, Ms Smith added: "We don't see this as an inevitability." |
| But shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: These statistics show the harsh consequence of Gordon Brown's economic downturn. | |
| "This is made worse because the Home Secretary clearly has no idea how to deal with this credit crunch crime wave. It is particularly alarming that robberies involving knives have soared and that fatal stabbings are at an all-time high. | |
| "The Government's complacency in this area is proving fatal." | |
| Miscounting forces | Miscounting forces |
| Crime experts are reviewing how the police and Home Office count violent crime after ministers revealed last year that 18 forces had been asked for clarification over the counting of some serious offences. | Crime experts are reviewing how the police and Home Office count violent crime after ministers revealed last year that 18 forces had been asked for clarification over the counting of some serious offences. |
| In some cases, officers called to a serious attack where there had been only a minor injury were not recording the incident in the most serious violent crime category. | In some cases, officers called to a serious attack where there had been only a minor injury were not recording the incident in the most serious violent crime category. |
| Police chiefs say the under-reporting in that category occurred honestly because some forces found the official national guidance, issued by the Home Office, to be ambiguous. | Police chiefs say the under-reporting in that category occurred honestly because some forces found the official national guidance, issued by the Home Office, to be ambiguous. |
| The forces asked to look again at their figures, named following a Freedom of Information request, were: the Metropolitan Police, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, Lancashire, Norfolk, North Wales, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Thames Valley. | The forces asked to look again at their figures, named following a Freedom of Information request, were: the Metropolitan Police, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, Lancashire, Norfolk, North Wales, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Thames Valley. |
| Figures for the "most serious violence" are not being published while experts assess their accuracy. When the mistake was first revealed, it led to a 22% jump in serious crime as incidents were re-categorised. | Figures for the "most serious violence" are not being published while experts assess their accuracy. When the mistake was first revealed, it led to a 22% jump in serious crime as incidents were re-categorised. |