Crime in Aylesbury Vale has fallen for a third consecutive year but the number of sexual assaults reported to police has risen due to the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Local policing area commander Olly Wright said: “We’re very pleased overall crime in Aylesbury Vale has come down by just over 5%. We have 400 fewer victims of crime and compared to two years ago it’s 1,500 fewer.”
Reported sexual offences rose almost 30%.
Supt Wright said: “This is down to the Jimmy Savile effect and partly as the Vale has close links to him.
“We have seen a lot of people reporting historic offences.”
Supt Wright said he expected to see the rate of sexual offences to drop next year.
A cut in burglary was the force’s biggest achievement. There were 358 burglaries of homes in the past year, a drop of 18% on 2011/12.
The chief said: “Burglary is a horrible offence. In the 350 sq miles of Aylesbury Vale there’s less than one burglary a day. That’s the lowest it’s been since anyone can remember.”
There were 1,317 violent crimes recorded, up by 11 cases, but Supt Wright said the previous year’s reduction of more than 400 incidents meant levels had essentially ‘plateaued’.