HOUSE burglaries are on the rise in Surrey for the first time in 10 years alongside a dramatic hike in possession of weapons offences, according to new stats by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The latest ONS figures show total recorded crimes in the county increased eight per cent in the year to March 2017, with 63,698 crimes recorded between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017. The hike is less than the average 11 per cent rise recorded in the South East, nationwide in England and Wales, and in neighbouring Sussex, while Hampshire saw crimes increase by 13 per cent.

But several crime categories far outstripped the national averages in Surrey, including eye-catching rises in:–

• Public order offences – 6,641 offences, up 42 per cent (39 per cent in England and Wales)

• Possession of weapons – 416 offences, up 41 per cent (20 per cent nationally)

• Domestic burglaries – 3,120 offences, up 31 per cent (six per cent nationally)

• Bicycle theft – 1,194 offences, up 18 per cent (nine per cent nationally)

• Theft from the person – 435 offences, up 28 per cent (six per cent nationally).

It is the first time domestic burglaries have increased in the county in 10 years, and Surrey Police have been seeking to address the increase since May, by improving intelligence and deploying forensic marking kits.

Since May, this has resulted in more than 40 arrests. The force blamed the 41 per cent increase in possession of weapons on an “increase in knife offences”, with an additional 92 offences recorded in Surrey last year.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “We have been proactively using targeted stop and search powers to help tackle the rise of offensive weapons and we are currently taking part in a national knife amnesty.”

It has also been revealed this week that Surrey Police remains among the worst forces in the country for solving crimes – charging somebody in just nine per cent of the crimes it investigated.

The majority of cases reached an outcome in 30 days, but rape victims can expect to wait an average of 144 days before an outcome is achieved.

The ONS stats did, however, reveal that both non-domestic burglary (2,853 offences, down seven per cent) and drug offences (1,920 offences, down 13 per cent) decreased over the 12 months, and the force has also highlighted its improving record on sexual offences.

Last year, there was an increase of three per cent for reported sexual offences, with 1,775 cases recorded.

But that is considerably less than the average 14 per cent rise seen nationwide and Surrey remains the county with the fewest serious sexual assaults per 1,000 residents.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Shaw, who heads rape and serious sexual assault investigations, said: “We’ve come a long way from the critical findings of previous reports from HMIC in 2015 and this improved ranking highlights the continued commitment we have all made to pursuing dangerous offenders and protecting some of our most vulnerable victims.

“We need to build on this and focus on ensuring that alongside our investigative work we are also providing the best possible support and guidance to safeguard our victims.”