Crime on rise amid economic woe

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Many regions have seen the number of such offences climb in the past three months compared with the same period last year. In some areas acquisitive crime has almost doubled.

Greater Manchester was among the regions that experienced a steep rise in burglary, with reported incidents climbing from 1,716 between October and December 2007 to 2,084 in the same period of 2008 - a 21% increase. Robbery rose by 2.5%, from 468 incidents to 480.

In Lincolnshire meanwhile, robbery increased by 97.6%, from 42 incidents to 83. Burglary increased there by more than 45%, from 1,433 cases to 2,079.

In Suffolk, robbery increased by 53.6% although burglary fell by 7%.

The figures vindicate the warning issued in a leaked memo by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in August 2008. The document, intended for Gordon Brown, said that the downturn would result in more crime.

The prediction was made after officials at the department examined previous periods of negative economic growth to gauge their impact on crime and policing, and concluded that crime figures were likely to rise.

They indicated that particular "upward pressure" would be exerted on levels of property crime.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said historic and anecdotal evidence showed that at times of economic downturn acquisitive crime can rise.

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: "We expect (burglary and robbery) to rise when the dark nights draw in and when Christmas is approaching, but the figures went up beyond what we would have expected last year and the credit crunch was definitely a factor."