Sutton’s top police chief has outlined priorities for cracking down on crime in the borough amid rises in some offences being committed this year.

Theft and handling offences have increased to 4,229 for the 2017/18 financial year, from 3,542, according to Met Police’s crime statistics dashboard.

The violence against the person category has also risen, from 3,821 to 4,180, with criminal damage seeing the biggest drop – from 1,264 to 1,190.

Chief Superintendent Jeff Boothe, South Area BCU Commander, said today (May 16): “In 2018/19, we will be continuing to try to improve our service to reduce crime and continue to keep Sutton one of the safest boroughs in London.

“Sutton’s local policing priorities include non-domestic abuse, violence with injury, and burglary, which have been identified by the community as of most importance to them.

“We have seen an overall reduction in burglary [from 1,194 to 1,129] and an increase in reporting of hate crime is important as we have been working closely with Sutton Council and other organisations to raise awareness of the issue.”

Other decreases in crime were found in drug-related offences, from 469 to 406, while fraud and forgery more than doubled - up to 19 from nine - and sexual offences increased to 361 up from 321.

A total of 12,087 offences were committed in Sutton during the 2017/18 financial year, a rise from 11,062, according to the official figures.

But Ch Supt Boothe says the borough is one of the safest in the capital with the lowest levels of crime, second-lowest of offences committed across all London boroughs and in the top four for solving crime.

He added: “For this reason variations in the volumes of crimes can appear more significant.

“Sutton places great importance on neighbourhood policing and partnership working. A core objective for all officers and staff serving the borough are to provide long-term solutions to issues and concerns by working with local communities and their partners.

“Our ambition is to increase our focus on prevention and proactive policing in collaboration with partners and the community to reduce crime and keep Sutton one of the safest London boroughs.”

You can see the crime stats here.