Crime on the rise in Solihull, official figures show

File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

Crime has risen over the last year in Solihull, official police records reveal.

West Midlands Police recorded 19,024 offences in Solihull in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 26% compared to the previous year, when there were 15,077.

However, at 87.5 crimes per 1,000 people, that was slightly lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.

Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 589 were sexual offences – an increase of 37% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has risen in the area, from 5,953 to 7,662 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in stalking and harassment, which rose by 39%, from 2,224 incidents to 3,091.

And theft offences rose by 15%, with 6,151 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 28.3 crimes per 1,000 people, that was higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Solihull included:

589 sexual offences, a rise of 37%7,662 violent offences, a rise of 29%1,428 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 86%387 drug offences, up 3%289 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, up 78%1,838 public order offences, up 31%6,151 theft offences, a rise of 15%3,091 stalking and harassment offences, up 39%