http://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/content/bromley/times/news/story.aspx?brand=BMLYTOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsbmlyt&itemid=WeED18%20Feb%202009%2015%3A09%3A44%3A030

Domestic crime rockets

18 February 2009

RAPE and domestic crime rocketed last year despite crime being at a ten-year-low.

Across London gun crime fell by 27.1 per cent whilst the number of rapes went up by 16.1 per cent meaning 469 more than the year before.

Even though crime across the capital fell by three per cent, in Bromley it climbed by 2.7 per cent whilst in the neighbouring boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich crime was down.

In Greenwich crime was down by three per cent with homicide down by three incidents, together with violence against the person down by 478 and gun-enabled crime down by 70.

But domestic crime soared by 752 incidents, motor crime rose by 410, and homophobic crime was up by 18.

Although crime in Bexley was down by 2.1 per cent, with robbery down by 65 and rapes by two, homicide were up by four, burglary by 185, domestic crime by 549 and homophobic crimes by nine.

Gun enabled crime in Bromley stayed exactly the same in Bromley with 65 incidents whilst homicides were down by five and rapes down by 15.

But violence against the person was up by 442, burglary 169 and domestic crime rocketed by 1206.

Bromley Borough Commander, Charles Griggs, said: "The borough and our partners within the Safer Bromley Partnership have worked hard to raise the confidence that people have, particularly women and those from minority communities, to report domestic violence.

"In the past twelve months we have had nineteen burglars released from prison back to Bromley, and we have another eight who are currently wanted for burglary offences.

"However, we have had some significant arrests in the past few weeks and many of them are safely back in custody. I expect the level of residential burglary to fall as a result.