ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour, violence and sexual offences have topped the list of causes of reported crimes in Chard and Ilminster over the last year.

In recent figures released by the Avon and Somerset Police, 33 per cent of crimes in the two towns were reported as being anti-social behaviour, while 24 per cent of incidents were violence or sexual offences.

From the start of May 2015 to the end of April this year, there were 3,341 crimes in the Chard and Ilminster area – adding up to more than nine crimes every day.

The number one hotspot for crimes in Chard was in and around an unspecified supermarket in the area of MyLocal Chard and Lidl.

In addition to the 78 offences there in the last year, there were also 21 more offences on Commercial Row, in between the two stores.

Second on the list of Chard’s hotspots is the parking area in Combe Street, where there were 55 crimes reported. There were also 14 more on or near Combe Street.

A supermarket also proved to be the Ilminster hotspot, with 25 crimes at Tesco – including anti-social behaviour, public order offences, violence and sexual offences, criminal damage, or arson, and theft shoplifting, and other thefts.

Next on the list of the town’s hotspots is Southfields roundabout, with its nearby Little Chef, Travelodge and Shell petrol station, where there were 23 crimes reported, including vehicle crimes and multiple other thefts.

PC Paul Thomas, beat manager for Chard, said: “These are reported crimes rather than actual crimes, so sometimes the outcome doesn’t necessarily filter through into the crime stats.

“We had a small problem with anti-social behaviour outside Tesco but that has all been dealt with. The hotspot near Combe Street car park was increased by another repeat problem that has also been dealt with.

“All the supermarkets have signed up to town link, so the staff in the shops have a link to us at all times.

“We deal with shoplifters quite seriously. We had a recent prolific shoplifter who had committed six crimes in a month, and we caught him and he was sent to jail for four weeks. He is now back out of prison and hasn’t committed another offence at this point."

PC Thomas added: “Now the summer is coming we are at the point where we are trying to get education across. We want to make sure that windows and front doors are locked when you are out in the garden.

“There have been several car crimes where people have left things on view such as Sat Navs and purses. The best way to combat that sort of crime is don’t leave things on view in your car.”

The crime statistics for the latest month released, April of this year, there were 315 crimes in the Chard and Ilminster News patch.

There were 107 reports for Chard, 50 offences in Crewkerne, 45 crimes in Ilminster, and 31 incidents in the South Petherton and Shepton Beauchamp area.

These constituted 91 acts of violence and sexual offences, 67 instances of anti-social behaviour, 40 vehicle crimes, 31 occasions of criminal damage and arson, 28 other thefts, 24 instances of shoplifting, 17 public order offences, 13 burglaries, two bicycle thefts, one robbery, and one other crime.

The police defined other crimes as including forgery, perjury and other miscellaneous crimes.

ACCORDING to the figures, these were the top 10 hotspots for crime in the area.

CHARD TOP 10

1. Near the MyLocal Chard/Lidl (78)

2. Near or in the parking area in Combe Street (55)

3. Tesco (48)

4. Henson Park (39)

5. Holyrood Street (37)

6. Coker Way (32)

7. Great Western Road (32)

8. Dominy Close (32)

9. Fore Street (31)

10. Silver Street (28)

ILMINSTER TOP 10

1. Tesco Ilminster (25)

2. Southfields roundabout (23)

3. Co-operative Food (21)

4. West Crescent (21)

5. Station Road (13)

6. Ditton Street (13)

7. Walron Court (12)

8. Church Street (11)

9. Letham Court (11)

10. Bay Hill (8) and Walnut Place (8)