Incidents of shoplifting reported to the police have increased 8.4 per cent in Hertfordshire over the past 12 months – with 676 more offences recorded than the previous year.
And the 2018/19 data from the Herts Police and Crime Commissioner’s office - highlighted during a presentation at the latest meeting of the Police and Crime Panel - shows an increase in the ‘stealing to order’ of high value products such as meat.
There were also 1,120 more reports of vehicle crime in 2018/19 - an increase of 13.5 per cent compared to the previous year - and 1,002 more reports of assaults without injury - an increase of 10.6 per cent compared to 2017/18, although part of this increase may reflect changes in reporting.
Reports of stalking and harassment have increased by 22.1 per cent – with 961 additional incidents - but this increase had been foreseen due to changes in national crime reporting.
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