30 July 2010The latest crime statistics, released last week (21 November 2007) show that Sevenoaks District had the lowest number of recorded crimes in Kent for a record fourteenth month in a row.
According to Kent Police crime figures, Sevenoaks District has been the safest area in Kent since August 2006.
Looking specifically at the seven months from April to October 2007, 3,742 crimes were reported, a reduction of 16% or 703 on the same period last year when 4,445 crimes were reported.
Some of the most notable reductions were robbery down by 53%, vehicle crime down by 35%, shoplifting down by 27%, home burglary down by 23% and criminal damage down by 21%.
However drug offences increased from 50 to 68 recorded crimes, up 36%. This is due in large part to better detection such as the use of police drug dogs in pubs and bars and the ION Track Drug Testing machine that can detect minute amounts of illegal substances on people's hands and clothing. Despite this increase, Sevenoaks District had the lowest recorded number of drug offences in Kent.
Robin Hales, Chairman of the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership, says: "The Partnership is working hard to tackle crime and the fear of crime, which is having a positive effect. We now live in the safest district in Kent which is one of the safest counties in the UK, yet despite this, there is still a great deal of work to be done. The Partnership will continue with its good work and focus on those areas where more can be done to tackle crime and residents concerns about crime."
The Community Safety Partnership is highlighting the many projects that through funding from the Partnership has made a difference to residents across the District.
The Partnership brings together all of the agencies in the District who can have an affect on crime and includes Kent Police, Sevenoaks District Council, Kent County Council, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, West Kent Primary Care Trust, Voluntary Sector, Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team, West Kent Housing, Moat Housing, Kent Youth Offending Team and the Probation Service.
