Crime falls by a fifth in Greater Manchester due to national lockdown

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes

Crime has fallen by a fifth in Greater Manchester on the same time last year, according to a new report by Greater Manchester Police.

Between January and June 2020 – which included three months of national lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic – crime in Greater Manchester fell by 19% when compared to the same period in 2019.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, April, the first full month of the national lockdown also saw the lowest monthly amount of crimes recorded.

The report also highlighted that GMP saw reductions in robbery (by 28%), victim-based crime (by 19%) and rape offences (by 14%).

GMP's Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for many people, businesses and sectors – including policing. We initially saw a decrease in crime during the start of lockdown, earlier this year, particularly in relation to robbery and burglary with the majority of people spending long periods of time at home. Since the easing of restrictions was announced, we are seeing crime return to levels more in line with pre-Covid norms. In addition to the normal levels of crime that we are experiencing, we now have the additional pressures from Covid and those individuals breaching legislation.

"We know that the nature and complexity of crime is continuously changing and we work closely with partners and engage with the local community to ensure that we are delivering the highest standards of policing possible with the resources available. This includes the recent launch of our new Neighbourhood Policing Strategy, which outlines our commitment to further strengthening our relationship with the people of Greater Manchester and identifying early intervention opportunities in order to reduce crime.

"I am proud of our GMP staff, officers and volunteers for doing their upmost to continue to provide the best service we can to the people of Greater Manchester and keep our communities safe."