POLICE have charged more people with crimes over the last three years - bucking the national trend.

Figures show West Mercia Police has charged 12 percent more people over the last three years, while the crime rate for the force's area has only gone up by five per cent.

In South Worcestershire overall crime has fallen by around two percent, with burglary falling 14 percent, an eight percent decrease in vehicle crime, a three percent decrease in shoplifting and a one percent decrease in rape.

These figures compare favourably to national averages, which see a decrease in charges of 11 percent and a rise in crime of 15 percent.

Police and crime commissioner John Campion said: “I made a commitment to always put victims first, ensuring they get the service they deserve.

“It is pleasing to see more offenders being brought to justice, and our communities should be reassured by the force’s commitment and professionalism.

“Whilst there are always areas that we can improve on, I promise to ensure West Mercia Police have the resources to continue this good work.

“I am reassured by the rise in public confidence and by the successes across multiple crime types.”

Deputy chief constable Amanda Blakeman said: “This is positive news which we welcome.

"We work extremely hard to protect our communities from harm and deliver justice for victims of crime. The rise in people charged is testament to the dedication and professionalism of our officers and staff.

“It is also testament to the confidence our communities have in the service we provide; they play a key role in helping us to gather intelligence and providing information that leads us to arresting suspects and ultimately putting them before the courts.”

Regarding the five per cent increase in crime, she said: “We are also seeing that the public feel more confident in reporting crimes and while this can lead to an increase in overall recorded crime numbers, it is important that victims feel they can come forward, and are indeed encouraged to.

“We are not complacent about any crime rises and we will continue to do everything we can to reduce and tackle crime.

“The wider message is a positive one: overall recorded crime increases in West Mercia are well below those seen nationally.”

The statistics are based on national home office figures covering April 2017 to March 2018. For more police stories, see worcesternews.co.uk