The latest crime figures for the rolling year from June 2022 to June 2023 shows drug offences in Oldham up 53% with 710 recorded crimes. Non-residential burglary was up by 42% with 429 recorded crimes. Bicycle theft up by 27% with 109 recorded crimes. Stalking and harassment was up by 23% with a huge 5,328 recorded crimes. Sexual offences increased by 16% with 1,040 crimes recorded. Possession of weapons was up by 12% with 366 recorded crimes. Violence against the person increased by 8% with a huge 12,936 recorded crimes. The crime which had the biggest percentage drops are residential burglary which fell by 24% but that still means Oldham had 1,059 residential burglaries and burglaries fell by 12% but again that still means the borough had 1,488 burglaries. Greater Manchester’s recent reputation for failing to record tens of thousands of crimes every year is a documented official fact so I would still be cautious about all these numbers potentially being underestimated.

