CRIME is on the rise in Swindon with reports of sexual assaults and violence more than tripling in the last five years – but Wiltshire Police is reassuring residents it is still a safe place to live and work.

Over the past year there have been more than 20,000 recorded crimes – including incidents such as robberies, arson and shoplifting – equivalent to 10 per cent of the town’s population breaking the law.

The figures, provided to the Home Office by the town’s police force, also reveal there were 547 reports of violence and sexual assaults in July reaching an all-time high, compared to 144 in February 2011.

Meanwhile, anti-social behaviour in areas including Burghley Close, Walcot, amounted to 34 per cent of all crime in August, with violence and sexual offences close behind at 22 per cent.

Gambia Street near the town centre had five reports of sexual assaults and violence in one month alone. While petrol stations, car parks and close to supermarkets tend to be hotspots for criminal activity.

However burglary and shoplifting has decreased since last year and robbery, shoplifting and thefts decreased slightly in July compared to the previous month.

Officers have attributed the rise to more people having the confidence to contact them.

“I appreciate that when looking at these figures at face value members of the public may feel concerned about the level of crime in Swindon,” said Supt Charlie Armstrong, sector commander for Swindon.

“However, I want to reassure people that Swindon is a safe town and that Wiltshire as a whole is a safe county to live and work in.

“These kind of statistics do not take into account the fact that in recent years we have greatly improved the way we record crime, and that people have a greater confidence in the police so feel more inclined to report incidents to us.

“This is particularly relevant when looking at reports of domestic abuse and sexual offences, types of crime which we know have been greatly under-reported in the past.”

Following the Jimmy Savile scandal in 2012, which saw a number of high-profile investigations including Operation Yewtree, the number of rapes recorded by police has more than doubled.

In Wiltshire there were 107 recorded rapes on adults and 67 on children in 2011/2012. For 2015/2016 the number has increased to 309 for adults and 137 for children.

A police spokesman said: “Wiltshire Police take all reports of rape extremely seriously and cannot stress enough how important it is that victims find the confidence and strength to report sexual offences to us. Victims of rape will always be listened to, supported and protected.”