THE past year has seen a rise in the number of robberies in Cumbria, new crime figures show.

The Office for National Statistics said recent police data provides insight into which crimes are returning to pre-pandemic levels, while others remain relatively below or significantly higher than before Covid-19.

ONS figures show 154 robbery offences were recorded by Cumbria Constabulary in the year to March 2023, up 2 per cent from 151 the year before.

It was also up from pre-pandemic levels when 141 robbery offences were recorded in the year to March 2020.

Across England and Wales, there were 75,300 robberies recorded in the most recent year – a jump of 13 per cent from 66,300 in 2022. But compared to 2020, it was down 17 per cent.

The rise reflects improvements in police recording practices and increased reporting by victims, which means the figures "do not provide a reliable measure of trends in these types of crime", the ONS said.

Overall, Cumbria Constabulary recorded a total of 38,912 crimes in 2023. It was a slight increase from 38,200 crimes recorded pre-pandemic.

A police spokesperson said: “Cumbria experiences relatively low levels of violent thefts or offences that involve weapons.

“Robberies of any kind can often have a deep impact on those involved.

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“We take robbery offences extremely seriously and such threatening behaviour will not be tolerated and will be subject to an investigation by detectives, recognising the seriousness of the offence and the impact.

“Sadly, anyone can become a victim of robbery, make sure you do all you can to protect yourself from becoming a victim including keeping your mobile phone and valuables out of site, being aware of your surroundings and keeping to busy and well-lit areas as much as possible.

“If you are threatened with violence, don’t risk your personal safety. Property can be replaced – you can’t.”