Theft rises may be due to cost of living - police

Jersey Police has released its annual report for 2023

Rises in the costs of living could be behind an increase in theft in Jersey, police say.

In its annual report for 2023, the States force detailed the most common crimes.

In 2022, officers dealt with 618 cases of theft, which rose to 666 in 2023.

Overall, crime in Jersey was up by 3% in 2023 to 3,155 incidents), compared with 3,061 the previous year, the report also said.

The report said offences against the person - including assaults and serious violence - were the most common recorded crimes last year, making up 46.3% of all offences.

Other crimes which had increased since 2022 included theft from shops, burglary, disorderly conduct, fraud and harassment.

Theft from shops may be partially attributed to cost of living issues, the report suggested.

However, the force said it was pleased to see a reduction in malicious damage and an overall reduction in young person-related crimes.

Mental health

The report noted a sharp fall in the number of mental health-related events requiring the police to attend - down by 34% from 2022.

It said this equated to a saving of 1,230 police officer hours.

It added that close collaboration with mental health services and the use of a mental health triage service, which looks at which incidents might need a police response, had helped.

Jersey Police underspent its £29m budget by £200,000 in 2023.

It said £140,000 of the underspend was because it was unable to recruit enough officers.

The report said the unused budget was ploughed back into other policing expenses, including firearms, travel, training and equipment.

Chief Officer, Robin Smith, said he was proud of his staff

Chief Officer Robin Smith thanked his officers and staff for their work through a "challenging year".

He said: "As we entered the New Year, we were still very much in the early stages of our investigations into the devastating explosion at Haut du Mont and the tragic collision at sea involving L’Ecume II.

"I am proud of the way our service has risen to the occasion in 2023, both operationally and organisationally.

"Looking ahead, we remain vigilant in our commitment to excellence, continuously striving to improve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of policing."