VIOLENT CRIME in Wokingham town centre has risen by 51% since 2018, despite the town council installing more CCTV in hotspots.
Data from thinktank, UKCrimeStats, revealed that the number of incidents rose from 357 in 2018, to 408 in 2019 and 542 last year.
Figures were particularly high between May and August last year.
Cllr Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, Lib Dem leader of Wokingham Town Council said they were “unnerving figures” and wanted to send a clear message that “we don’t want this in our town”.
Last year there were also 232 recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour, and 131 incidents of criminal damage or arson.
They made up 1,535 incidents in the town area last year — a rise of from 1,480 in 2018 and 1,507 in 2019.
Cllr Shepherd-DuBey said a stabbing outside Wokingham Train Station in 2019 was a drug related incident.
“There have been concerns raised about late night drug use around the play area at Latimer Road,” Cllr Shepherd-DuBey said. “This makes things unpleasant for our residents.”
In a bid to keep on top of the issue, the town clerk attends the Community Safety Partnership meetings, along with the police, she said.
Wokingham town centre is a regular item on the agenda.
“Many of our councillors also attend the neighbourhood action meetings, which are the best places for residents to raise any concerns they are having about anti-social behaviour with the police,” Cllr Shepherd-DuBey added.
“In terms of making people feel safer, we have installed CCTV around the Town Hall along with the CCTV in Peach Place, Elms Field and other areas — much of the town centre is covered.
“We have also reduced the hedges in Howard Palmer Gardens so that people cannot hide in there,” she added.
“During the summer months and in the run up to Christmas we have also hired extra security in the evenings, to patrol the town and the railway station.
“This has been very successful in reducing problems in these areas.”
The Conservative group leader at Wokingham Town Council said more needs to be done to expand CCTV coverage.
Cllr Daniel Hinton said: “Like all residents, of course, I am concerned with any rise in crime across Wokingham and it is particularly concerning that the numbers have increased especially when so much of last year was spent in lockdown.”
Cllr Hinton said he has been speaking to Matthew Barber, the Conservative candidate for police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley Police, about “bringing a police base back to Wokingham”.
Cllr Hinton suggested increasing CCTV coverage outside of crime hotspots, and said he is looking at ways to reduce anti-social behaviour through youth work and youth facilities.
Superintendent Felicity Parker, area commander for Wokingham and Bracknell, said combatting violent crime and disrupting those who commit is a priority for her team.
“This week, the Home Secretary confirmed that TVP will be one of four forces to trial the introduction of new post-conviction powers to further tackle knife crime and violence,” she said.
“Thames Valley Police and Wokingham Borough Council are currently in the process of setting up a strategic partnership group to focus further on reducing the levels of violence in the borough.”
She said there are a number of other measures in place including intelligence led patrols, increased use of stop and search under Section 60 powers, executing warrants, permanent knife amnesty bins, and the use of knife arches and knife wands by officers.
She said there are also measures the public cannot see.
