DRUG offences recorded in Bridgnorth District between April and June this year have more than doubled compared to the same quarter in 2007, and police say the increase is due to a “purge” during which they have stopped suspects and searched them.
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Sergeant Bob Matthews said that more people had been caught carrying small amounts of cannabis, and he warned that the drug is still illegal.“Some people seem to think cannabis is legal since it was reclassified as a Class C drug, but it’s still a criminal offence to possess it”, said Sergeant Matthews.
“There are plans to reverse the classification decision back to a Class B because there are some very strong forms of cannabis on the streets at the moment. Young people in particular need to be aware that this drug can have some pretty serious effects on them and that they coud get a criminal record as well if found in possession”.
The quarterly crime figures also show an increase in sexual offences from six to 10 compared with the same period in 2007.
“These figures cover a full range of offences, some of which are relatively minor”, said Sergeant Matthews. .
Former chairman of the Bridgnorth Police Community Consultative Group, Councillor David Beechey, has urged local communities to pull together to fight the overall increase in crime.
“We can’t rely entirely on police to combat this rise in crime”, said Councillor Beechey. “I would strongly urge villages and communities to establish their own mechanisms for fighting and preventing crime.