Still nearly 700 anti-social behaviour complaints across Hartlepool as monthly figures fall

The number of such incidents rocketed across Hartlepool during the first full month after the March 23 coronavirus lockdown.

April’s 809 cases were more than double March’s 339 figure and accounted for more than half of all reported crimes in the town.

Cleveland Police said the rise was affected by the fact that breaches of the emergency lockdown legislation – such as house parties or groups of people gathering together – are classed as anti-social behaviour.

May’s statistics, which have just been released by the Home Office, now show a monthly fall in anti-social behaviour incidents of more than 100 cases to 695.

In common with April’s figures, which saw a shift in reported crime from the town centre following the closure of bars and shops, many of the addresses where most complaints occurred are in residential areas.

They include Brierton Lane, where 17 incidents took place, Mardale Avenue, where 15 incidents were recorded, and Frazer Grove and Tynebrooke Avenue, with 12 incidents each.

Overall reported crime has increased again from 1,588 cases in April to 1,672 cases in May with anti-social behaviour still the largest category of crime investigated and accounting for more than 40 per cent of all complaints.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "All areas have seen a large rise in anti-social behaviour being recorded since the covid-19 outbreak.

“This is impacted by incidents of the restrictions being broken being recorded as anti-social behaviour. For instance, reports of groups of people gathering.

“In addition to this, with the recent injection of officers back into neighbourhood teams, there are also more officers out on patrol locally.”

Violence and sexual offences, which are classed together as one category, was the second highest type of crime reported in Hartlepool with 402 incidents said to have taken place in May.

This is up from 294 reports in April.

June’s figures may possibly show a further reduction in anti-social behaviour cases following the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions.

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