BRIDGWATER’S crime hotspots have been revealed by police with anti-social behaviour and violent or sexual offences topping the list of reports.
The data was compiled and released by Avon and Somerset Police, with crimes reported from May 2015 and April 2016.
The figures revealed that from May 2015 until April 2016, there were a total of 5,292 crimes recorded in the Bridgwater area.
This equates to more than 14 crimes committed in the area a day.
- To find any street, hold "Ctrl and F" and type in the street name
In the town centre, there were a total of 1,865 crimes reported.
Anti-social behaviour was the most frequently reported crime, with 736 reports in total, making up 35 per cent of the final results.
The next most reported was violence and sexual offences, with 433 reported, making almost 21 per cent of the final figure. Next was shoplifting with 225 reports, making up 10.9 per cent of the final figure.
Criminal damage and arson, theft, public order offences and burglary were also high on the list.
Of these crimes, 548 are still under investigation, with 484 crimes, left unresolved or no further action was taken. The remaining crimes were either dealt with by police at the time, or being dealt with by the courts.
The figures also show that officers were called to Eastover to deal with crimes more than any other street, being called there 122 times in the year. The next most common was Cornhill, at 116 times, and High Street 110 times.
In Bridgwater, excluding the town centre, there were a total of 3,427 crimes recorded.
There were 1,027 reports of anti-social behaviour, and 950 violent and sexual offences reported to police. This makes up more than 50 per cent of all crimes recorded in the area.
Other crimes high on the list were criminal damage and arson, public order, shoplifting and theft.
Of all the crimes, 42 per cent are still under investigation by officers, with 41 per cent left unresolved or no further action. The remaining are currently going through the courts.
Officers were called to supermarkets 126 times, a conference or exhibit 134 times, Turner Close 79 times and King George Avenue 64 times.
Steve Leahy, owner of Purple Tree Telecom on Eastover and chairman of the Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce, said the new figures were a worry.
Mr Leahy said: “Speaking as a business owner on Eastover, the figures are a concern.
“I’m a little bit surprised, I have to say, but because there are a lot of small and independent shops in, maybe we haven’t got the finances to invest in the technology to stop the shoplifting.
“It is a concern for the growth of the Eastover area. More shops are being taken up now, but independent traders might look at the statistics and not want to come here.
“Any increase in crime is always a worry because it’s not going to help the town attract new businesses.”
Chief Inspector Lisa Simpson, Local Policing Commander for Somerset West, said: “We have seen an increase in the numbers of crimes reported both across the Constabulary and nationally.
"We believe this is due to a number of factors. Nationally, there has been an improvement in the way crime is recorded, and the police service across the country has seen a rise across all crime types due in part to these improvements.
“For the public’s peace of mind, it is important to note that the classification ‘sexual offences and violent crime’ includes a whole range of incidents, from low level verbal abuse to Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). The term can be misleading, as it doesn’t necessarily mean any physical violence has occurred, and the majority of incidents will most likely be low-level public order offences.
"Likewise, the term ‘sexual assault’ is used to classify crimes ranging from touching over clothing to rape. This isn’t to say that so-called ‘lesser crimes’ are any less distressing for victims, but it is important to understand the make-up of the statistics.
“What is encouraging is that we believe that we have seen a rise in reporting within some crime areas that have been significantly underreported in the past such as domestic abuse, violent crime and some sexual offences.
“We have also undertaken work with our partners to educate and raise public awareness in relation to certain crime including positive changes in legislation (for example the recent introduction of legislation in relation to domestic abuse and “coercive and controlling behaviour”). If by educating the public it means we see an increase in reporting and less people suffer in silence as a result, then that is positive news. This means that more victims are receiving the support and protection they need, and potentially we have more opportunities to bring offenders to justice.
"A rise in reported crime isn’t always bad news.
“Obviously, we remain absolutely committed to preventing crime across Somerset.
"Our world is ever-changing and we adapt to respond to emerging issues and public need. Some crime has increased as the social landscape has changed and technology has developed.
"We have obviously seen an increase in online crime in the last ten years for example, and we undertake training and adapt our workforce to respond accordingly.
“I live in Somerset and I firmly believe we have one of the safest counties in the country. People should be reassured that these figures are comparatively very low in relation to other areas.
"This doesn’t mean we are complacent; we remain absolutely dedicated to preventing and detecting crime in our community, supporting victims and working together to keep people safe."
BRIDGWATER TOWN CENTRE
A38 – 13
All Saints Terrace – 5
Allerton Road – 16
Axe Road – 20
Barclay Street – 8
Barhams Close – 5
Binford Place – 30
Blake Place – 4
Blake Street – 5
Boards Road – 5
Bond Street – 10
Broadway – 3
Bus station – 3
Capes Close 2
Carvers Road 12
Castle Moat 10
Castle Street 1
Chandos Street 12
Chapel Street – 40
Church Street – 8
Clare Street – 25
Colley Lane – 12
Cornhill – 116
Court Street – 75
Cranleigh Gardens – 27
Dampiet Street – 31
East Quay – 15
Eastover – 122
Friarn Street – 23
George Street 44
Gordon Terrace – 17
Grebe Close – 2
Grebe Road – 4
High Street – 110
Horsepond Lane – 4
Hospital 9
Kimberley Terrace 11
King Square 4
King Street 6
Kings place – 18
Lamb Lane – 50
Liberty Place – 57
Mallard Way 10
Mandarin Close 5
Market Street 27
Marsa Way 11
Merle Close – 1
New Road 10
Nightclub – 191
North Street – 3
Parking area 101
Penel Orlieu 4
Petrol station 38
Prices Lane 22
Priory Court 3
Quantock Terrace 16
Queen Street 35
Robins Drive 5
Salmon Parade 13
Sandpiper Close/Road 16
Shopping area 65
Silver Street 25
Sports/recreation area 109
St Mary Street – 46
St Saviours Avenue 14
Supermarket 14
Symons Way 17
Taunton Road
Teal Close 6
The Clink 73
Tone Drive 3
West Quay – 4
West Street – 1
Wylds Road – 16
Yeo Lane/Road – 8
Anti-social behaviour
736
35.64%
Bicycle theft
38
1.84%
Burglary
70
3.39%
Criminal damage and arson
124
6.00%
Drugs
27
1.31%
Other crime
6
0.29%
Other theft
163
7.89%
Possession of weapons
4
0.19%
Public order
153
7.41%
Robbery
11
0.53%
Shoplifting
225
10.90%
Theft from the person
22
1.07%
Vehicle crime
53
2.57%
Violence and sexual offences
433
20.97%
Bridgwater area (excluding town centre)
A 39 – 11
Adscombe Avenue – 19
Albion Close – 9
Alderney Road – 1
Alexandra Road 14
Allen Road 1
Almond Tree Close 6
Angus Way 2
Anson Way 8
Apple Tree Close 5
Arlington Close 1
Ash Close 2
Ash Grove Way 3
Ashford Close 23
Ashleigh Avenue 8
Ashleigh Terrace 9
Athlone Road 11
Avalon Road 4
Bagborough Drive 7
Bailey Street 9
Barrows Close 1
Bath Road 28
Bayford Road 9
Bedford Close 6
Beech Drive 2
Beech Road 8
Beechwood 40
Bell Close 24
Berry Close 7
Berrydale Avenue 24
Biddiscombe Close 2
Bncombe Road 6
Birch Close 8
Blackdown Road 5
Blacklands 12
Bloom Row 12
Blossom Close 19
Booth Way 7
Bower Avenue 36
Bower Fields 24
Bower Lane 4
Bradfied Close 1
Branksome Avenue 5
Brendon Road 10
Breton Close 1
Bristol Road 69
Brooklands 28
Bryer Close 10
Buckingham Close 2
Butleigh Close 1
Camden Road 14
Campion Way 2
Cannon Close 9
Cavalier Close 6
Cedar Close 1
Chamberlin Avenue 30
Charlton Close 25
Charnwood Close 1
Charolais Drive 2
Charter Close 43
Chatham Avenue 4
Cherry Close 1
Chestnut Close 2
Cheviout Street 1
Chidgey Close 4
Chillingham Drove 1
Chilton Close 11
Chilton Street 2
Church Meadow 5
Church Path 5
Claremont Grove 2
Clarks Road 2
Clipper close 6
Clover Way 8
Coleridge Green 16
Coleridge Road 11
Coleridge Square 29
College Way 7
On or near Conference exhibit 134
Cormorant Close 2
Cornborough Place 21
Cotswold Way 2
On or near Countess Avenue 1
Courtway Avenue 16
Crabourne Close 3
Crestfield Avenue 31
Cridlands Meadow 4
Cromwell Road 19
Crowpill Lane 25
Daisy Close 8
Davies Close 25
Daws Close 9
Deacon Road 29
Devonshire Street 8
Dexter Walk 14
Dorset Road 3
Drakes Close 12
Duke Street 4
Dukes Mead 3
Duncombe Close 1
Earls Close 4
Eastern Avenue 4
Eastwood Close 22
Edinburgh Road 14
Edward Street 16
Eight Acre Close 1
Eldergrove Close 5
Elizabeth Way 5
Elmgrove Close 2
Elmside Road 12
Elmwood Avenue 12
Emden Walk 5
Fairfax Close 3
Fairfax Road 24
Farthing Road 1
Fernleigh Avenue 9
Feversham Avenue 17
Fire Tree Close 1
Four Acre Meadow 3
Frampton Road 14
Frederick Road 4
Furlongs Avenue 4
Schools/college 24
Gloucester Road 24
Graves Close 6
Griffin Close 4
Hagget Close 2
Halsway 7
Hamp Avenue 26
Hamp Brook Way 17
Hamp Green Rise 1
Hamp Street 5
Hampton Close 1
Hawthorn Close 3
Hazelwood Drive 1
Heather Close 3
Hillgrove Close 8
Holly Close 1
Hornbeam Close 3
Hughes Close 1
Irene Close 2
Ivy Grove Close 24
Janson Close 4
Japonica Close 10
Jubilee Close 1
Kendale Road 29
Kensington Gardens 5
Kent Avenue 14
Kerry Close 33
Kestrel Close 5
Kidsbury Road 16
Kilburn Drive 5
King George Avenue 64
Kingsdown Close 3
Knightsbridge Way 1
Laburnum Close 2
Lakeside Park 40
Larch Close 3
Larkspur Road 7
Leeward Close 24
Leyton Drive 3
Lime Tree Close 1
Limousin Way 6
Linden Close 5
Linham Road 4
Linley Close 6
Longstone Avenue 27
Lower Bath Road 23
Loxleigh Avenue 9
Ludlow Close 7
Lyndale Avenue 12
Malborough Close 14
Malvern Close 3
Manor Road 3
Mariners Close 19
Marlborough Avenue 8
Mayflower Close 2
Meadowlands Avenue 2
Medip Road 11
Middlestream Close 19
Millwood Close 15
Milne Close 2
Monmouth Street 7
Moonraker Close 3
Moorland Road 9
Moorland Way 6
Moots Lane 7
Moravia Close 6
Moss close 15
Mount Street 15
Muscovy Drive 12
Myrtle Close 13
North Street 21
Oakgrove Way 10
Old Taunton Road 18
Orchid Way 2
Osborne Road 6
Oxford Terrace 2
Palm Tree Close 2
Palmer Close 1
Parkstone Avenue 1
Parkway 56
Peace Close 1
Pelham Court 2
Pembroke Road 2
Penlea Avenue
Penzoy Avenue 1
Petrol Close 10
Petrol Station 23
Pine Tree Close 6
Plum Lane 11
Plym Tree Close 1
Polden Street 17
Police station 7
Pollard Road 1
Popham Close 4
Poplar Road 1
Potterton Close 7
Purley Drive 10
Quayside 45
Queen’s Road 45
Raglan Close 4
Raleigh Close 11
Rambler War 3
Redgate Street 31
Reed Close 2
Rhode Lane 6
Richmond Close 1
Ringwood Road 2
Risemoor Road 8
River Lane 6
Riverside Close 6
Roberts Drive 8
Roe Close 3
Rosebery Avenue 12
Rowans Close 13
Russell Place 29
Saltlands 4
Saltlands Avenue 11
Samphire Walk 15
Sandalwood Ride 1
Sandown Close 6
Sandringham Close 2
Saxon Road 8
Saxony Place 11
Seaward Drive 2
Sedge Close 8
Sedgemoor Road 2
Selworthy Close 1
Severn Close 1
Seymour Road 2
Shearwater Close 1
Sheridan Close 2
Shervage Court 1
Shire Street 5
Shopping area 23
Smalens Close 1
Somerton Close 4
Somerville Way 4
Sorrel Drive 11
Sorrel Lane 10
Southgate Avenue 19
Sovereign Road 1
Spencer Close 3
Spillers Close 3
Sports/recreation 21
Springley Road 2
Squibbs Close 1
St Davids Court 6
St john Street 28
St Peters Court 1
Stafford Road 2
Standish Street 4
Stanley Close 5
Stockmoor Close 1
Stockmoor Drive 7
Stratton Close 2
Sully Close 4
Sultan Court 3
Sunnybank Road 6
Sunnymead 6
Supermarket 126
Sussex Close 1
Sydenham Close 32
Sydenham Road 23
Taunton Road 7
Teak Close 1
Teeswater Walk 14
The Copse 2
Thompson Close 22
Thorncombe Crescent 39
Toulouse Road 2
Tracey Close 6
Trevor Road 5
Trinity Way 2
Tudor Way 3
Tulip Walk 2
Tulip Tree Road 2
Turner close 79
Tynte Road 1
Union Street 17
Valetta Place 2
Victoria Road 13
Viscount Square 1
Wadham Close 16
Walton Close 3
Warren Close 33
Watermans meadow 10
Waverley Road 21
Weacombe Road 16
Wellington Road 14
Wessex Cloxe 4
Western Way 1
Westonzoyland Road 26
Westwood Road 4
Willow Court 2
Willow Walk 2
Wills Road 1
Windsor Road 3
Witches Walk 8
Withy Grove Close 2
Wolmer Close 1
Wordsworth Avenue 6
Wye Avenue 2
Wyndham Road 11
York Road 15
Zeta Close 4
Anti-social behaviour
1027
29.97%
Bicycle theft
52
1.52%
Burglary
156
4.55%
Criminal damage and arson
390
11.38%
Drugs
84
2.45%
Other crime
31
0.90%
Other theft
213
6.22%
Possession of weapons
16
0.47%
Public order
215
6.27%
Robbery
8
0.23%
Shoplifting
177
5.16%
Theft from the person
8
0.23%
Vehicle crime
100
2.92%
Violence and sexual offences
950
27.72%
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here