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Blackpool's crime hotspots revealed
BLACKPOOL and the Fylde's crime hotspots have been revealed.
New maps reveal figures for total crime across each area – as well as revealing which places are worst for violent crimes, anti-social behaviour, robbery, car crime and burglary.
In Blackpool, some wards fall into the worst 10 per cent in Lancashire.
Every householder can now check crime levels in their neighbourhood with an online map.
People can also compare where they live with other areas nationally, using figures supplied by all police forces across England and Wales.
Three wards – Claremont, Talbot and Bloomfield – were in the worst 5.5 per cent of areas in Lancashire for total crime, with 215 people out of every 1,000 victims of crime.
For criminal damage, Talbot and Bloomfield wards are also in the county's worst 5.5 per cent, with 55 offences per 1,000 people.
Huge swathes of Blackpool, along with Singleton in Wyre and Central ward in Fylde, were in the worst seven per cent in Lancashire for serious violent crime, including Bispham, Warbreck, Claremont, Brunswick, Layton, Park, Tithebarn, Marton, Clifton, Hawes Side, Victoria, Bloomfield and Talbot wards.
High rates of drug offences – more than 5.5 per 1,000 people; theft from vehicles – more than 10 per 1,000; burglary – 25 homes for every 1,000 properties; and anti-social behaviour occurred in Talbot, Bloomfield, Layton, Claremont, Waterloo and Park in Blackpool.
Central ward in Fylde was also in the top 5.5 per cent for violent crime.
But Chief Insp Neil Chessel, from Blackpool Police, insisted crime in the town centre had plummeted by around 20 per cent in the last two years.
"Comparison between the town centre areas and other wards is very difficult and can present a bit of an unfair picture," he said.
"There is a large business community and one of the busiest night time economies in the UK.
"The simple fact is where there are a lot of people and there's a lot happening there will be a high density of crime.
"But crime is falling dramatically in the town centre and our neighbourhood policing team and NightSafe unit have made a massive difference.
"And as part of this mapping, Lancashire Police and its neighbourhood policing were used as an example of best practice in a Government Green Paper."
Ivan Taylor, councillor for Claremont, said the results were nothing astonishing.
He said: "There is no surprise Claremont ward features in this way but crime has been coming down.
"It is a continuing concern and we must do all we can to try to change the situation."
And Gary Bell, councillor for Talbot ward, said: "One of the issues with Talbot Ward is there are a lot of properties which attract a transient population. It can be very difficult to build a community."
Areas with lower rates of crime, according to the map, include Highfield, Squires Gate and Stanley in Blackpool, Park ward in Fylde and Carleton ward and Stalmine-with-Staynall ward in Wyre.
Other areas in Lancashire with high crime levels include Accrington, parts of Burnley and Preston city centre.
Residents using the online map can compare different wards in the area easily using a colour-coded key.
A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "All people need to do to access the information is to go to the force website at www.lancashire.police.uk, put in their postcode and click on the community statistics link.
However, Simon Reed of the Police Federation of England and Wales said: "While not wishing to restrict what the public can and cannot know, our concern is that statistics released on a monthly basis may feed local criminal intelligence, leading to crime hot spots, and further exacerbate the public's fear of crime."
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Weather for Blackpool
Friday 25 May 2012
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