Barking recession 'crime wave'

BURGLARIES rocketed by 60 per cent in a year in Barking and Dagenham, latest crime figures reveal.

Metropolitan Police statistics show that residential burglaries broke the 1,000 barrier, rising from 992 to 1,598, while robbery jumped from 572 to 723 in the 12 months to August.

The number of reported rapes rose from 52 to 72, a 38 per cent increase compared to an eight per cent rise in London.

Reported racist crimes rose by five per cent from 347 to 365 in line with the capital's increase.

Barking and Dagenham was also hit by 102 "gun enabled" crimes, out of a total of 3,197 in the 32 London boroughs, while crime overall rose by 0.6 per cent, compared to a 1.6 per cent decrease in the capital.

Barking and Dagenham police Chief Insp Nick Hancock told the POST the August figures were already out of date and stressed east London had been "particularly challenged" on burglary owing to the recession.

He added burglary had only risen by 44 per cent between April and September 2009, adding a significant number of house break-ins were, in reality, theft of keys to steal cars.

He also stressed gun enabled crime, which has been recorded across the Met region for the first time, included threats where guns were not produced.

The figures published on the Metropolitan Police's website also show two murders took place in the 12 months to August, compared with one the previous year and business burglaries rose by 10 per cent from 654 to 722.

Electoral ward data revealed that Abbey ward, which includes Barking Town Centre, was a hotspot for drugs, showing 23.1 recorded incidents per 1,000 people, theft and handling stolen goods (87.4) and violence (63.8).

Thames ward was a hotspot for criminal damage (28.5) and violence (42.2) and Village ward in Dagenham was a hotspot for burglary (23.5).