Latest figures show sharp fall in crime

Overall crime down by 21% in Chiswick

New figures released this week have shown that crime in the area has recently been on a sharply downward trend. The statistics show that there were 1043 notified offences in the three months to December 2003 compared to 1,324 in the previous quarter. This is a substantial reduction of 21%.

Inspector Ged Boyer of Chiswick said, "I am very pleased that the recently published crime statistics for the Chiswick area have shown a downward trend over the last quarter. A great deal of work has been undertaken to achieve these results by my officers together with our partners in the Town Centre Stakeholder Group; the London Borough of Hounslow; The Brentford, Chiswick and Isleworth Crime Prevention Panel and with the support of our local councillors."

However there is no question of the police resting on their laurels. Inspector Boyer added, " there is no room for complacency and we are working ogether
on new initiatives to continue with our fight against crime in Chiswick."

At ward-level, there were decreases of 15% (Chiswick Riverside), 22% (Turnham Green) and 26% (Chiswick Homefields).

Violence against the person made up just over a tenth of all crime reported between January and December 2003 in the Chiswick area but of those offences committed, four-fifths resulted in minor or no injuries. Chiswick is one of the safest parts of Hounslow Borough for personal safety over this period. The number of reported offences fell from 170 reports (July to September 2003) to 119 (October to December 2003) a 30% fall.

Quarter on quarter analysis shows a reduction in robbery of 45% with 21 reports in the latest quarter.

Reports of burglary were down in Chiswick by 49 offences or 29%. Overall residential burglary was down by 43 burglaries, and burglary in other buildings, such as sheds, garages, business premises also fell.

Nearly half of all crimes reported January to December 2003 related to theft and handling stolen property. Most of these offences were committed in Turnham Green ward, where, on average there were 118 offences a month a fall of 20% on the previous period. Most theft and handling offences related to thefts from motor vehicles.

Criminal damage was down from fell more marginally. Most of the offences in this category relate to damage to motor vehicles.

These figures relate to the Hounslow Borough area of Chiswick only - figures for Ealing borough are not made available to us.

January 29, 2004