The latest crime performance statistics released by the Isle of Man Constabulary compare favourably to those in England and Wales and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey. Overall recorded crime is 12.4% lower than the same period last year, with 1,437 crimes recorded between April and October – 203 fewer than in 2011. This is despite unusual and significant incidents such as the recent spate of vandalism on vehicles in the south of the Island where 54 crimes were recorded in 1 night.
Against a backdrop of positive news across many categories, the Isle of Man Constabulary has achieved notable success in terms of addressing assaults (down by 12.8%) and criminal damage (down by 11%). There has also been an impressive 14.7% decrease in recorded crime in the busy central neighbourhood, which covers Douglas, Onchan and Braddan.
In addition, confidence in the Manx force remains high, with the results of an independently verified survey revealing a public satisfaction rating of 93% – a 3% rise on the corresponding period last year.
Minister Watterson said:
'The statistics demonstrate the Isle of Man Constabulary's ongoing investment in crime reduction, with resources focused on prolific offenders, vulnerable victims and hot spot locations. The Island’s crime rate is already at a 30-year low, so the effectiveness of the Chief Constable and his team in continuing to drive down the figures is to be commended. 200 fewer crimes means fewer victims which is very positive news. As well as helping residents to feel secure in their local communities, maintaining a low level of crime also supports our national priority of growing the economy. The Isle of Man is firmly established as one of the safest places to live in the British Isles and this reputation, together with an excellent quality of life, is a major factor in attracting new businesses and key workers to the Island.'
An overall detection rate of 35.7% represents a decrease of 5.9% compared with the end of October 2011. However, this figure is expected to increase throughout the recording period (to April 2013) as more crimes are cleared, and is still superior to the average of 27.8% registered by the 44 police forces across England and Wales.
Minister Watterson said:
'The level of recorded crime in the Island has reduced significantly during Mike Langdon's 5 years as Chief Constable. On his retirement in December, Mike will pass on a motivated, innovative and effective organisation to his successor Gary Roberts and I look forward to continued high levels of performance in the years ahead.'
