Alarming figures have exposed the soaring rate of crimes committed by pensioners in Manchester.
Stats revealed by an MM FOI show the number of offences caused by the over 65s had risen by 40% from 2013 to 2015.
The old age offenders had executed 495 offences over the three-year period, including drugs trafficking, theft and arson, with the largest group being aged 66-77 years old.
The most common crimes were those relating to sexual offences, which had doubled from 29 counts in 2013 to 59 in 2015. This can range from sex in a public toilet to child abuse, but does not include rape.
That averages at least one sexual offence a week in 2015.
This was followed by offences that involved violence without injury – anything from conspiracy to murder to modern day slavery – which had increased by 88% and public order offences which rose by 55%.
But Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts of Greater Manchester Police attributed the rise in figures to the increase in crimes being reported and recorded.
He said: “There could be a number of contributing factors to the increase in crime committed by people over the age of 65.
“We do expect an increase in crime as we are becoming far stronger in our recording of crime and, with an increase in people having a greater awareness of violent crime and domestic crime, people are becoming far stronger in reporting crime to the police.”
He also pointed out that figures in these instances can be subject to volatility.
“We are carrying out more work to understand the increase and what lies behind it,” he said.
The most dangerous areas were South Manchester with 15% of the total crimes taking place, Rochdale with 12% and Stockport with 11%.
Vehicle offences, rape and possession of drugs had the lowest amount of incidents.
Since 2013 Greater Manchester Police have carried out one stop and search relating to a person aged 70-77 years old which occurred in 2015 and was negative.
Image courtesy of Stuart Grout, via Flickr, with thanks
