Harrogate police prioritise cybercrime after 52% increase
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Last updated Oct 8, 2020
Police car on the Stray in Harrogate.

Cybercrime, anti-social behaviour, road safety and burglary are the four priority areas for police in the Harrogate district, according to North Yorkshire’s Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner.

The priority areas are revealed in Policing and Crime Annual Report 2019/20, which will be scrutinised by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel next week.

Cybercrime incidents rose from 131 to 200 in 12 months, representing a 52% increase.


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But the number of road safety, burglary and anti-social behaviour incidents all fell.

Burglary fell by 5%, anti-social behaviour by 8% and road incidents by nearly 20%.

A spokesperson for Julia Mulligan, the police, fire and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire, said the four areas would remain as priorities for police over the next year as set out in the commissioner’s police plan.

North Yorkshire Police faces a reduction in income this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The force has forecast a shortfall of £1.3 million due to loss of income from speed vans, prosecutions and sports events during the crisis.

Michael Porter, chief finance officer at the commissioner’s office, told a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel last month that the public sector faced “significant areas of concern”.

He said:

“I think it would would be no surprise if I were to say that it is challenging times for all public sector organisations and organisations wider than that and some of that will start to play through into some of the financial reports.”