DURING the onslaught of UK lockdowns, many predicted a profound effect on crime. Read on to discover how the lockdowns impacted the crime rate in Cumbrian towns, with information from the PoliceUK website...
Crime was constantly changing, as our lives did during the pandemic. From fines for everyday activity, to shoplifting as money was strained further. On a national scale, in 2020, police-recorded crime had the biggest annual decrease since 2010.
Specific crimes such as theft were expected to drop dramatically as everyone had to remain indoors and if everyone is at home all the time, it's rather difficult to burgle a house.
Furthermore, serious offences such as drug crime increased on a national scale.
Let's look at what happened during the pandemic in three Cumbrian areas:
In Whitehaven, during the January 2021 lockdown, crime measured up like this
Antisocial behaviour came out on top in the main area of town; the pandemic may have caused a spike in this as people were breaching lockdown.
This specific lockdown was extremely tough on people as it was over the New Year period and it meant we were entering 2021 with the pandemic still looming.
Meanwhile, shoplifting also featured highly. The pandemic was tight on people's finances which may explain this.
However in 2022...
Crime climbed to almost double the rate of the pandemic in this specific area of Whitehaven and other crimes featured in the top spots.
Shoplifting and public order offences lessened and violence/sexual offences, as well as criminal damage and arson, became part of the top three.
In Workington during the pandemic:
Workington had a fairly low crime rate in this specific area of town.
Whilst violence/sexual offences featured in the 2021 top spot, anti-social behaviour did not, unlike Whitehaven. Drug offences appeared in second place.
READ MORE: Carlisle shoplifter stole Nike trainers from Sports Direct
Crime across other parts of Workington, such as housing estates, included anti-social behaviour offences - potentially including activities which broke lockdown rules at the time.
Workington's crime rate has not particularly lessened since the pandemic; however, the types of crime committed has shifted.
In the same area of town, public order offences have grown and now claim the top spot. Violence/sexual offences still feature but criminal damage/arson now appears.
This area of Workington has lots of shops/bars which may be why it is targeted.
In Carlisle, during the pandemic:
In 2021, this specific part of the city which features a lot of popular bars and clubs noted anti-social behaviour as its most common crime.
Criminal damage/arson was also reported.
Public order, shoplifting and drugs were not reported to a significant degree within Carlisle, whereas in Whitehaven and Workington, they were amongst the most common offences.
The crime rate around Carlisle is much higher now; the city has recorded a much larger increase in crime than both towns.
However, in comparison to other larger cities, Carlisle has a low crime rate.
The top three crimes are the same from 2021 to 2022, unlike Whitehaven and Workington where the types of crime changed.
Violence/sexual offences took the top spot however, with an increase of 18 in this particular area.
READ MORE: Workington man made phone call 'threatening to kill three-week-old baby'
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