Withington residents feel safe despite a rise in crime of 27% in one year
- In 2019 the number of burglaries rose by 27% in Withington
- Withington residents say they feel safe in the neighbourhood despite the rise in crime.
Statistics from Greater Manchester Police show that burglaries in Withington rose by 27% last year.
The south Manchester suburb is popular with students and has been undergoing development recently.
Estate agency Bridgfords say a lot of young people are renting or buying properties.
Jessica, the branch manager for Wilmslow Road, said: ”We normally have young professionals, families, smaller groups of students doing their masters or medical students. A lot of shops and cafes are opening as well so there is quite a lot to do now. People tend to move to Withington and stay.”
She said the crime figures need to be treated with some caution.
“If people are getting broken into, it’s usually a 6-bed house, which counts as ‘six’ burglaries rather than 1. There’s really a community sense here, lots of development put into the area as well and lots of allies to make people feel more secure,” she said.
When asked about the burglaries, neighbourhood inspector for south Manchester ,Shoheb Chowdhury said: ”We understand residents, especially our student community, may feel concerned and would like to reassure them that we have been working hard over the past few months to reduce student burglaries including running a number of dedicated Student Safe operations.”
The Northern Quota went to the neighbourhood to find out what residents think about crime and safety in Withington:
To stay safe and prevent burglaries, police say residents and student communities in Withington should follow its advice: ”Make sure windows and doors are locked, set light timers and keep valuables well hidden, and if you see something that just doesn’t look right – please get in touch either via our website using the LiveChat function or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”