CRIME in Castle Point has increased by 10 per cent, according to the latest police figures.

Serious sexual crimes, house burglaries, violent crime and antisocial behaviour have all risen in the last year.

However, Chief Insp Ian Cummings, district commander for Castle Point, assured residents the borough was safe and the spike was due to a change in the way crimes are recorded.

The figures, comparing reports for August 2013 to July 2014 with August 2012 to July 2013, will be discussed at a public meeting held by Nick Alston, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, tomorrow.

Chief Insp Cummings said: “These are complicated figures and there is a context behind them. There is a lot of good news, but where we have increased we will look carefully at why and look at opportunities where we can reduce crime by putting in new plans. I hope the engagement event will be a good opportunity for healthy and balanced discussion with residents and the commissioner.

“These figures compare the last year with the year before and are different to what I as district commander look at on a daily basis, which is the here and now. The district is one of the safest in the county.”

Comparing reports for August 2013 to July 2014 with the same period in 2012 to 2013, the number of serious sexual crimes has increased by 84.6 per cent with 33 more offences, from 39 crimes to 72.

Mr Alston said: “This increase may be attributed to a number of things; for example, the publicity around the Jimmy Savile inquiry may have encouraged more people to come forward.”

Victims of domestic abuse and missing children are now also asked specific questions about whether they have been a victim of sexual assault.

Godfrey Isaacs, Castle Point councillor for neighbourhoods and safer communities, added: “All we can ask is when residents see a crime being perpetrated that they report it. They can call the police or Crimestoppers, where they don’t have to give their name or their details.

“The overall increase is a worry, but I’m sure the police commissioner will be looking at that and I’m sure he has got it in his remit to say this is not good enough. We’ve lost a number of police officers over the last few years, but I don’t think that’s led to an increase in crime.”

RESIDENTS have called for police and the community to work together to tackle crime.

Canvey Skip and Recycling, in Vikings Way, and Canvey Cash4Clothes, have been raided three times in the last few months.

Owner of the firms, Zoe Clark, 38, said: “It’s all very well having a meeting as long as they do something about it.

“We should all be working together. It’s a community thing. I know one of the guys on the estate was trying to get people to put in CCTV, but it seemed people didn’t want to spend the money.

“The police also need to follow up things. When we were hit they said it was assigned to an officer, but nobody has called us back.

“It’s very frustrating and we are hearing of more and more burglaries. Everyone needs to work together.”

Canvey resident Billy Baxter, 25, has campaigned repeatedly for action to stop boy racers using Roscommon Way as a racetrack.

He said: “I’ve lived on Canvey since January and, to be honest, the boy racers are the only problem I’ve had. I feel Canvey is a safe place. It’s one of the reasons I moved here, and I’ve never felt unsafe or threatened on the island.”

The public meeting takes place from 6pm to 8pm tomorrow, at the Paddocks, Long Road, Canvey.

It will also discuss the police response to the flooding on Sunday, July 20.