Crime on railways in the SW falls

The specialist police force for the rail network released crime figures for its Western sub-division* today (Wednesday, 19 August) alongside its national annual report, which showed crime had fallen across Britain’s railways for the eleventh consecutive year.

Superintendent Matt Allingham, Western sub-divisional commander, said: “Our job is to make sure all rail passengers can get to their destination safely, securely and on time. These figures show that the railways in the South West remain a low crime environment, despite increasing passenger numbers and major infrastructure projects.

“Every day BTP officers use their specialist knowledge of the railways to fight crime and reassure the public, operating from nine dedicated bases. We work in partnership with Network Rail and First Great Western to ensure stations and trains remain pleasant environments for all passengers and rail staff.

“This year we have also pioneered new and inventive ways of tackling crime, such as our evidence-based officer patrol model and our increasingly popular 61016 text message number – which received a record 8,926 texts in 2014/15. By increasing our visibility and providing an easy and discreet way to contact us, we aim to reassure the public and give them added confidence in travelling by rail.”

Sexual offence reporting is up as national campaign encourages victims to come forward

Reports of sexual offences in the Western sub-division were up by 33.3 per cent on last year, with half of reports leading to the successful detection of an offender. The rise equates to 13 more crimes and comes in the year that BTP launched ‘Report it to stop it’ – a high-profile campaign aimed an empowering people to report unwanted sexual behaviour.

Supt Allingham said: “Research shows sexual offences largely go unreported to police, so while any increase in crime is concerning, we welcome more victims coming forward and demonstrating that they have the confidence in us to investigate.

“Our ‘Report it to stop it’ campaign sends a clear message to victims of unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway: report incidents to us, so we can investigate and catch those responsible. We particularly encouraged reporting of offences often perceived as ‘minor’ such as rubbing, leering or sexual comments.

“The campaign involved days of action at local stations and a high-profile online video which has been watched by more than 1.7 million people. Whilst the actual number of offences remains relatively low, I hope victims take confidence from our unrelenting focus on detecting those people responsible for committing these odious crimes.”

More information on ‘Report it to stop it’ can be found here: http://report-it.tumblr.com/

Thefts from passengers down by a quarter despite busy festival calendar and influx of holiday-makers

Theft of personal property from rail passengers in the Western sub-division fell by 25.7 per cent – the largest reduction across the Force. This is despite large numbers travelling by train to popular events such as Glastonbury and the Cheltenham Gold Cup Racing Festival, as well as the annual rise in seasonal holiday-makers using the railways to head to resorts in Devon and Cornwall.

Supt Allingham commented: “Railway passengers are no longer easy pickings for thieves. While the yearly influx of holidaymakers and festival goers always presents a challenge for us, with the high-value gadgets and multiple items of luggage they carry, our work in partnership with with our railway colleagues to raise awareness appears to be bearing fruit, with 183 fewer victims of theft in the last year.”

Videos showing common tactics used by thieves on the railway can be viewed online – part of BTP’s Operation Magnum: http://www.btp.police.uk/theft

New police presence and evidence based patrol strategies

In the past year the Force has increased its visible uniformed presence at stations, opening a new police post at Swindon and dedicating officers to the Taunton area. New evidence-based patrol plans have also been rolled out across the sub-division; ensuring officers are in the right place at the right time.

Drugs offences have fallen by 38.2 per cent – or 75 offences – over the past year, while violence against the person offences have increased by 7.4 per cent, representing an additional 21 offences.

Concluding, Supt Allingham said: “While there is much to be encouraged by in these figures, we are not complacent and we will seek to address those areas where offending has increased. The challenge to further reduce crime will only get greater, as passenger numbers increase further, but by trialling innovative new technologies and continuing to put our specialist railway knowledge to good use, I am confident we can deliver for the public.”

The full BTP annual report and statistical bulletin can be viewed online at www.btp.police.uk/annualreport2014-15