The latest figures have revealed that, for the third consecutive year, overall recorded crime has decreased in Cheshire by nearly 2% (-1.7%), with 77,791 crimes recorded in the past 12 months, compared to 79,152 in 2023-2024.
The figures, which cover the period between April 2024 and April 2025 and are compared to the previous year, show there have been reductions across many categories of crime, including drops in vehicle offences (down by 14%.7), burglary (down by 12.7%), criminal damage (down 11.2%) and an overall reduction of -11.1% in serious acquisitive crime.
There have also been further reductions in the number of thefts (-3.7%) and violent crimes against people (-0.8%).
However, public order offences have increased by 5.6%, robberies have increased by 5.1% and sexual offences by 8.6% during the 12-month period.
As well as a reduction in recorded crime, the force has also seen an increase in the number of offenders brought to justice.
Over the past 12 months, the percentage of offenders brought to justice has increased to 20% compared to 19.4% in 2023-2024. This overall increase has included increases of offenders being bought to justice for robbery (up by 7.7% to 17.9%), burglary (up by 1% to 11.4%), theft (up by 2% to 17%) and criminal damage (up by 1.1% to 15.%).
Chief Constable Mark Roberts said:"I take great pride in seeing that crime has fallen within Cheshire, for what is now the third year in a row.
"We want to keep crime coming down and this further decrease is the direct result of our dedicated officers and staff members who work tirelessly around the clock, 365 days a year to keep the county a hostile environment for criminals.
"At the same time we are bringing more offenders brought to justice.
"In the last 12 months, several large-scale operations have been conducted across the county's local policing units to tackle a variety of crime types, including the anti-social and dangerous riding of e-bikes that has seen well over 60 illegal bikes removed from Cheshire's streets, modern-day slavery offences occurring in nail bars and car washes, business crime and shoplifting and even joint taxi licencing operations with our partner agencies from local councils.
"These local operations, alongside the national campaigns we support annually such as Operation Sceptre targeting knife crime, gang culture and street robbery, all play a key role in keeping everyone who lives, works and visits Cheshire safe.
"I am incredibly proud of these figures, which shows that Cheshire remains the safest place in the North West and I hope members of the public will also be reassured of the action we carry out to prevent our residents, businesses, and communities from becoming victims of crime.
"More recently, the Constabulary has received a £4m boost in funding as part of the governments Neighbourhood Policing Plan. This money will go towards beefing up our neighbourhood teams, who will spend their time out on the beat in Cheshire, patrolling our towns and city centres to provide further reassurance to our communities.
"Along with this, the force has also secured a further £1m funding for this financial year to tackle anti-social behaviour in hotspot areas across the county, known as "Operation Sidelines."
Chief Constable Roberts added: "I am delighted to hear that the force will be getting this extra funding to support our ongoing efforts in tackling crimes such as ASB, drug dealing, street theft and robbery. This funding will also help us recruit a number of new officers who will be out on the beat at peak times such as Friday and Saturday nights, keeping people safe as they enjoy the numerous events such as night-time economy venues across the region.
"We already have a real focus on neighbourhood policing in Cheshire, with named officers in each ward along with as with a number of proactive initiatives and ongoing operations in place to tackle crimes such as these head-on, and we are now looking at how we can best utilise this funding to give our neighbourhood teams the further resources they need.
"Ensuring our local policing teams are dedicated to making our public spaces be safe and feel safe for those who live, work, and visit Cheshire is a top priority and we will use this funding to make Cheshire's communities even safer."
Comments
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drops in vehicle offences (down by 14%.7), burglary (down by 12.7%), criminal damage (down 11.2%) and an overall reduction of -11.1% in serious acquisitive crime.
I would say perhaps people are just not bothering to report these offences as no action would or has been taken and the word gets out, don’t bother. In addition reporting is not the simplest either online or in a traditional manner. All hurdles to perhaps deter the public from reporting minor crime reflected in the drop in statistics.
I recall in 1999 during the Blair government when crime recording statistics were introduced and the points based, performance indicator, Policing system was applied to all officers. Public order offenses went through the roof because low hanging fruit is always the easiest to pick. The offenses on a Friday night or Saturday night had not increased it was just now, in a performance driven Police force people had to lock up where in the past a drunk would be given a talking too and sent home.
How do you judge a Police officers performance by the number of people arrested ( that’s easy with Public order) or by traffic tickets issued and on and on. You end up with a Police force oops Service chasing statistics and not chasing the bad guys or girls!
Police performance can only be improved and thereby public confidence by Police supervision properly managing their staff and getting the best out of them rather than just setting mandatory targets to reach.
On the performance scale does a public order offence match a sexual offence or would the sexual offence be worth two public order offences. A Robbery is worth two burglaries. You see how statistics can muddy the water because I’m sure someone who is the victim of a sexual offence is far more harmed than someone who is the victim of a drunk with a filthy mouth.
Read what you like into statistics and measure their performance by what you see and feel on the streets as you go about your daily life.
I fully support Police officers on the street but I know they lack good management.
Keep safe and remember points make prizes when you want to progress in Your carrier.
It will be interesting to see the figures on the British Crime Survey.
And if we persist in employing PCSO’s rather than fully warranted officers then this is the thin end of the wedge .