THE number of burglaries has dropped in Devizes but criminal damage is on the increase.
Inspector Pete Bowerbank of Devizes police told town councillors shed and garage burglaries had gone down from 81 to 23 and burglaries overall had reduced from 103 to 37.
But criminal damage offences had increased from 76 to 118.
Insp Bowerbank said during one night, 25 incidents of criminal damage were reported in Devizes when cars had windscreen wipers pulled off and number plates broken.
He said: "There has been an increase in criminal damage offences in the whole of the division. Other towns are suffering similar problems.
"We have had a crime analyst study the times and locations when crimes have occurred, but he has been unable to establish a pattern. It seems to be sporadic."
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