THURROCK saw more than 5,000 violent crimes and 500 sex assaults according to latest figures, despite a fall in crime in the borough reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
Thurrock has seen a decrease in overall crime rates but sex offences, violent crime and domestic abuse remain high despite the overall downward trend.
The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership reported there were 16,014 crime offences, a fall of 5.7 per cent on the previous year, according Essex Police data from the year from April 2023 to March 2024. The partnership’s 2023/24 report, which will be discussed by the place overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday, shows there were 5,688 violent crimes, down by 6.2 per cent.
Police also recorded 507 sex offences, 189 robberies and 671 burglaries. There were 2,216 vehicle offences, including thefts and interference, 428 hate crimes and 1,750 cases of domestic abuse.
The report also uses data from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023.
There were 205 rapes recorded and 317 other sex offences in that year.
Hate crime in Thurrock remains high, with 2.66 offences per 1,000 population, compared to 2.07 offences per 1,000 in Essex.
Laying out its priorities for 2024/25, the partnership said residents’ highest concerns were around drug dealing and knife crime and confidence in police was lagging.
The report said: “Year on year we have seen a decrease in the percentage of residents who have confidence in police in Thurrock and think that they’re doing a good job. However, positively, the percentage of residents who think crime and anti-social behaviour has become more of a problem has also reduced.”
The partnership said there has been an increase in the number of young people being exposed to risky behaviour particularly in regard to vaping, nitrous oxide and edible cannabis.
It added: “The national issue of gang related violence continues to be a risk to the communities of Thurrock and whilst positive activity to address there is an ongoing risk in relation to emergence of gangs to fill any vacuum.”
There are no known county lines operating currently in Thurrock, but there are said to be three “drugs lines”.
The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership is a statutory body consisting of the local authority, Essex Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, the Probation Service and the Integrated Care Body.
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