CRIME has personally impacted half the constituents who responded to MP Matt Western’s survey.
The MP for Warwick and Leamington asked residents to tell him about the crimes they had witnessed in the last five years and took the results to Parliament.
He asked how the government would “address these crimes and make our streets safer for everyone”.
Results shared by Mr Western in parliament showed that 50 per cent of respondents had been personally impacted by a crime in the last five years, a figure which the MP has called “unacceptable”.
Of those who had been personally impacted by a crime, 28 per cent reported the crime as being anti-social behaviour and 18 per cent reported the crime as being drug related.
The local MP also referenced incidents in summer 2023 when several teenagers were reportedly threatened in St Nicholas Park with what was believed to be a knife before their bikes were stolen. The incident reportedly took place around 3.30pm, when many school pupils are heading home.
Mr Western said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and the sheer number of people in our towns and villages who have been personally impacted by a crime is unacceptable.
“So many shared that the crime they had witnessed was anti-social behaviour which is a real blight on our communities.
“I am so often told by residents, and know myself, that a regular police presence can provide real reassurance to residents but also a deterrent to potential criminals.
“The cuts we have seen in police community support officers (PCSOs) in recent years have been felt by residents. Hard working officers want to support our communities, but they can’t be everywhere at once, particularly when their numbers have been halved.
“It was good to hear from the Home Secretary that the government is getting bobbies back on the beat. It is what our communities need and deserve.
“I want to give credit to the officers who many have told me they’ve seen more of recently, particularly patrolling our local parks. It is very welcome to see.
“There is still much to do, and I will continue pressing the government for the action our communities need to ensure we call feel safe in our towns and villages.”
