Big rise in car crime blamed on drinkers (From This Is Wiltshire)

Vehicle crime has almost doubled in Warminster and Westbury over the last year, and there has also been a sharp increase in violent crime in Warminster.

Between September 2011 and August this year, vehicle crime went up 94 per cent in Warminster. In Westbury, it rose by 65 per cent over the same period, while violent crime in Warminster went up by 61 per cent.

The rise, revealed in police records for the period, has been partly blamed on drinkers damaging vehicles on their way home, thefts of quad bikes and other vehicles and items taken from parked cars.

Insp Lindsey Winter said people should not generally be concerned for their safety, as the rise in violent crimes were mostly domestic.

She said: “Data for Warminster shows a slight increase across most crime types and, whilst this could have been predicted due to lengthy summer holidays, the increase in violence is a worry.

“The majority of the reports relate to domestic violence offences, friends assaulting each other or neighbour disputes. Offenders are invariably known, arrested and dealt with.

“Some are youths assaulting youths and some are reports from local care establishments, where residents assault each other.”

Westbury recorded a drop in all other crime categories, particularly home burglaries, down by 40 per cent. Other reductions were in violent crime, criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.

Warminster also had less anti-social behaviour and burglary, but a rise in criminal damage and arson reports.

Detection rates were up for most crimes in Westbury, with 13 per cent more home burglaries solved, making 29 per cent in all.

In Warminster only three per cent of burglaries were solved, down from nine per cent.