NORTH Yorkshire residents were less likely to be the victims of crime than anywhere else in England and Wales in 2015... even though the crime rate rose from the previous year, according to figures just released.

There were more than 36,000 reported crimes in North Yorkshire, giving a crime rate of 45.1 per 1,000 of the population.

This reflected a rise of five per cent across the county from 2014, though it is well below the eight per cent rise in England and Wales as a whole.

Drug offences were down by seven per cent, possession of weapons cut by 22 per cent, and theft offences decreased by eight per cent, according to the Office of National Statistics.

But burglaries were up by four per cent, criminal damage and arson by nine per cent, while robberies rose by a massive 24 per cent. Sexual offences were up by 18 per cent, though police chiefs say this could be largely down to the increased confidence of people to report offences, especially historical ones.

Offences of violence against the person went up by 22 per cent, though police again say this is likely to be for the same reasons.

Miscellaneous 'crimes against society', which includes the possession and publication of extreme sexual images, remained at the same level, with 544 crimes in total.

There were slight rises in public order offences and in shoplifting.

Assistant Chief Constable, Paul Kennedy, said: “North Yorkshire Police remains determined and resolute in our efforts to keep people safe from a range of dangers, including the emergence of cyber-based crime.

“Our officers, staff and volunteers work around the clock, every day of the year, targeting and disrupting criminal activity across the county and beyond our force borders.

“There will be no let-up from North Yorkshire Police, particularly in those areas showing an increase."