Suffolk is one of the top five safest counties in England and Wales according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics. 

Based on the figures, Suffolk Constabulary is ranked fifth for the lowest levels of recorded crime in the country. 

The total recorded crime covering the 12 months to the end of September 2023 show that there were 62.4 crimes per 1,000 people, a decrease of 9.2% compared to the previous 12 months.

From Oct 2022 to Sept 2023 domestic burglary, robbery, theft, stalking and harassment, vehicle crime, knife crime and drug offending all saw drops in recorded crimes, compared to the previous 12-month period.

However there was a rise in possession of weapons, public order offences along with business burglary and there was a 20% rise in shoplifting.

Three years ago, Suffolk was in 13th position in terms of its crime levels.

East Anglian Daily Times: Deputy chief constable Rob Jones.Deputy chief constable Rob Jones. (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

Deputy Chief Constable Rob Jones said: “It is important to make clear that for the victim of every crime committed they will be experiencing personal distress, upset and trauma. If you have been the victim of crime my sympathies are with you and we remain determined to give a high level of service to victims.

“That said, these figures do show a positive direction of travel for the force. The figures demonstrate an affirmation of how safe we are as a county and are a mark of how we continue to improve, to work hard to keep the people of Suffolk safe and to solve crime and catch criminals.

DCC Jones added: “Our analysis does show the majority of knife related, weapon and violent crime is being committed by those known to one another and often those previously known to the police, maybe through drug activity.

“Meanwhile, the shoplifting figure is not something I am surprised at with the cost of living still a big issue and concern for many people.

“However, it is a crime whatever the value of the item stolen and can result in a criminal conviction, which can have a serious impact on someone’s life.

"We understand this behaviour is simply unacceptable as it ultimately can threaten the future of the business affected."