More people carrying weapons in Oxford, data from police.uk reveals

In July this year, 11 people were caught carrying a knife or a gun in central Oxford – data analysed from Police.UK has revealed.

The amount of people caught in July – which is the latest month available – is more than 450 per cent up on the month before.

There is a also a spike in the number of people thought to be in possession of a weapon from the year before, in July 2018, with only three incidents recorded – eight fewer.

Now a councillor has said that although the stats could be an anomaly, Oxford could still be part of the national picture, which is a ‘major problem’.

Nigel Chapman, who is an Oxford City Councillor for Headington and is also a cabinet member for safer communities, said: “It is clear that nationally there is a major problem. We need to take it seriously.

“Knife crime and having a weapon is a really important area which could grow quite quickly.”

Read more: Thames Valley Police rated inadequate at recording crime by HMIC

He explained that people who carry weapons often carry them as protection, adding: “They aren’t carrying a knife for fun, they’re carrying them as a weapon to use in a crime.

“Officers on the beat would deter them because it would probably mean more people being stop and searched.

“But there is also other serious crimes which need the extra police to be allocated to, like cyber crime.”

It was revealed by this paper that Thames Valley Police are expecting to get about 600 officers in Boris Johnson’s 20,000.

The police and crime commissioner (PCC) Anthony Stansfeld said he was still in discussions but the estimate of 600 had been made. His deputy, Matthew Barber has pledged to use these officers on the frontline to tackle crimes such as shoplifting.

The incidents involving people allegedly being in possession of a weapon in Oxford happened around the town centre at night clubs, shopping centres, colleges and busy streets.

Two out of the 11 incidents happened in Osney and one person was caught in New Hinksey.

Read again: Thames Valley Police report 5,470 stop and searches this year

Out of the 11 recorded, the majority are still being investigated by police, and two of them are awaiting a court outcome.

Police were also unable to prosecute the suspect on two occasions out of 11 – which could be put down to a lack of evidence or a victim not helping police with the investigation.

Read more: 70 per cent of crime closed by police with 'no further action'

The increase in people carrying weapons isn’t exclusive central Oxford. In South East Oxford there were six reports of the crime, four up from the month before and five up on the year before.

In Cowley double the amount of incidents were reported in a month.

The PCC and the deputy PCC both refused to comment on what they were doing to tackle crime involving weapons in Oxford, as they were in meetings.