Knife crime in Wales reaches record levels
Knife crime has reached record levels in Wales riding 23 per cent in the last year.
The latest crime figures have revealed a ten per centre increase in overall crimes recorded by Welsh police forces last year.
Crimes involving violence against the person increased by 22 per cent, according to latest Office for National Statistics figures.
There was a fall in theft and vehicle offences while the number of homicides was lower than the previous two years.
The stand out figures have showed there were 1,353 knife crimes in 2018 - more than half were in South Wales and it was a 23 per cent rise on the previous year.
Gwent and North Wales police forces both recorded a 20% increase in crime in their area, while Dyfed Powys and South Wales forces both recorded a smaller increase of 3 per cent.
Welsh forces recorded 27 homicides last year, lower than the 35 recorded in each of the prior two years.
North Wales Police's temporary Assistant Chief Constable Neill Anderson said: "We have a programme of work ongoing to raise awareness amongst young people and under Operation Sceptre we put measures in place to address local concerns."
