Figures released on 26 January 2023 by the Office of National Statistics show that Cheshire saw the lowest increase in crime across England and Wales between October 2021 and September 2022.

Cheshire Constabulary has seen an increase of 1.4 per cent in overall crime recorded during this period, well below the national increase of 12.4 per cent.

Offences linked to theft from the person (40 per cent), and possession of an offensive weapon (44 per cent) accounting for some of the largest increases.

The statistics show the force has seen smaller increases in reports of sexual offences (13 per cent) and violence with injury offences (10 per cent)

However, other offences such as stalking and harassment decreased by 6.1 per cent.

There were also notable decreases in other areas such as drugs trafficking (-48.5 per cent), burglary (-2.4 per cent) with residential burglary decreasing by 5.2 per cent, and robbery (-3 per cent).