Ottery sees slight crime increase

Crime in Ottery rose slightly in the last 12 months, but police in the town say it is still ‘a very safe place to live’.

Recorded incidents stood at 210 in 2011-12 for the area, which includes outlying villages like West Hill and Tipton, but has gone up to 218 for the past year.

PCSO Maria Clapp, who delivered the figures at last week’s annual parish meeting, said: “There has been a slight increase, although saying this, this is far less than a crime per day for the area.”

House burglaries had come down though, with three this year compared to six in 2011-12, but the number of burglaries to outbuildings such as garages, sheds and barns, was the same, 26.

PCSO Clapp added: “Please visualise the size of the area I am talking about. I believe three house burglaries is a remarkable figure for the size and relative affluence of the of the area.

“It confirmed that we live in a very good area with a low incidence of crime.”

Thefts were also slightly down, from 54 to 47, and criminal damage was up one to 33 incidents.

Shoplifting saw the largest increase, with 13 incidents compared with just one the previous year, which PCSO Clapp said was mainly down to targeted thefts at Sainsbury’s and Otter Nurseries.

Violence has also increased, with incidents where injury occurred up by four, and without injury up seven to 24.

Vehicle offences also jumped from 17 to 25, but possession of drugs was down by 75 per cent, from 12 incidents to just three for the past year.