CRIME across Oxfordshire is on the rise, with figures revealing a jump of almost five per cent in reported offences in a year including a surge in violent crime and shoplifting in Oxford.

Between April and December 2016, 108,122 crimes in the county were reported to Thames Valley Police, compared to 103,413 over the same period in 2015 and 100,804 in 2014.

Anthony Stansfeld, police and crime commissioner for the region, admitted the figures were ‘concerning’.

Reports of violent crimes, which resulted in someone being injured, increased by more than 60 per cent from 5,634 incidents in Oxfordshire between April-December 2014, to 9,035 for the same period in 2016.

In Oxford, reports of shoplifting, robbery, violent crimes and sex offences have also risen.

Police and crime commissioner for the region Mr Stansfeld said the increase in crime across the county, and in particular the city of Oxford, was a serious issue.

The Conservative politician said a large amount of violent crimes in which injury resulted was linked to people drinking excessively and taking Class A drugs in pubs and clubs.

He added: “There is an increase in violent crime and I think that’s concerning. 

“Recording is much better today, but nevertheless, there seems to be a slight increase violent crime nationally, which is an issue.

“What worries me is violence with serious injury.

“The more officers you have the easier it is. We have had significant cuts but we have done our best not to cut the frontline.

“The trouble is the country cannot live beyond its means.

“Everything impinges on the police because we are the last resort. On the other hand we cannot go borrowing money to sort these problems out.”

The new figures published by the Office for National Statistics yesterday come as Thames Valley Police brace themselves for cuts of £22m this year - on top of £88m already stripped away from the force over the past six years.

The funding reductions from the Government mean the force has 4,200 police officers, compared to 4,434 in 2010, across the region.

Stating crime was still ‘relatively low’ in the county compared to other areas, Mr Stansfeld said ever since ‘relaxed drinking hours’ were introduced, there had been a lot more of a ‘violence problem’.

He added he did not support police cells being based in Abingdon, which he said took officers away from policing the ‘night-time economy’.

The force’s federation, the body that represents rank-and-file officers, previously warned Thames Valley Police was ‘broke’ and may have to give up policing pubs, clubs and investigating certain thefts if it is to ‘survive’.

Sergeant Graham Smith, the former federation chairman, officers would have to ‘pull back on policing the night-time economy’, adding changes to licensing laws had been made without thinking about ‘pressures’ it would put on policing.

He added: “The reality is over the next three or four years we’re going to spend our savings.

“The reserve that we have will disappear. Then there will be some things that we will not be able to do.”

He added: “There are all sorts of other areas where policing is going to have to push back and say, ‘Actually it’s not our responsibility anymore; it is down to you – we haven’t got the resources to do it’.”

In January, extended opening hours for The Bullingdon in Cowley Road, Oxford, was refused after fears it would increase pressure on the police.

The Bullingdon initially wanted to be able to serve alcohol until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays instead of the current 2.30am closing time.

But Oxford City Council rejected the application after the force said policing in the area was in a ‘delicate state’.

Acting sergeant Neil Bouse said at the time there had been a ‘21 per cent increase in violent crimes’ which would be ‘likely to further increase’ if a greater number of people were under the influence of alcohol.

In the Cherwell district, reports of criminal damage and arson increased by 37 per cent from 2719 reports in the final six months of 2014 to 3719 reports during the same period in 2016. 

In Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire, reports of theft from a person increased along with reports of domestic burglary in West Oxfordshire.

Reports of drug and public order offences fell throughout the county, 
Mr Stansfeld added increases in reports of other crimes in Oxford, such as shoplifting, could be due to police officers spending more time on complex crimes, such as domestic abuse and child sexual exploitation, which ‘were not so obvious’ to the force in the past.

He said police officers should tackle shop thefts, but added the stores themselves could employ their own security and install CCTV to ‘try to reduce it themselves’. 

Mr Stansfeld added he thought the rise in reports of violent crimes without injury, was due to changes in recording procedures.

He added ‘two children arguing in school grounds’ could now be recorded in that category.

Thames Valley Police declined to comment on the figures released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics, but said they would be releasing their ‘12-month statistics’ next week.