Crime: Stalking, sex offences and fraud up in Wales

Recorded crime has risen by 8% in Wales in 2021, according to annual figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A total of 256,945 crimes were recorded by Welsh forces, compared to 237,940 the previous year.

The Home Office figures, which exclude fraud and computer misuse offences, reveal a 20% rise in stalking offences and an 18% increase in sexual offences.

There was a 16% rise in fraud and computer misuse offences.

Dyfed-Powys Police recorded a 49% jump in these offences. Across England and Wales, the average rise was 14%.

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The year, covering the Covid-19 pandemic, saw a 6% drop in theft offences and an 11% drop in burglaries.

But the figures also show a 27% rise in recorded crime in Dyfed-Powys, including a 38% rise in violent crime and a 13% rise in crime in north Wales, while crime rose below the Welsh average in the south Wales and Gwent force areas.

When the crime rate is looked at, which is the number of crimes recorded per 1,000 people, then the crime rate for Wales was 81.1 crimes per 1,000.

That was lower than the England average of 85. The highest was in north Wales, which recorded 90.7 crimes per 1,000.

The figures also indicated that 4% of serious crimes involved a knife in Wales, compared to 6% in England.

There were 130 firearms offences, a rise of 17%.

ONS also gave details of the Crime Survey figures, which show a 54% increase in fraud and computer misuse offences since before the pandemic and a 15% drop in theft across England and Wales.

It also suggested that recorded crime was moving back to pre-pandemic levels by April last year.

It estimates that 2% of adults were likely to experience violent crime and under 22% any crime.