AN OVERNIGHT smash and grab raid on a shop in Monmouth town centre this week is the latest recorded incident in an area which has seen a 28 per cent increase in crime in the past year.

Across Monmouthshire there were 5,075 reported offences between July 2017 and June 2018, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - with burglary and theft among the highest volume crimes.

The average rate of 54 crimes per 1,000 residents in the county, however, is still well below the England and Wales average of 84.

The latest statistics are based on crimes reported to the police, and the ONS urges caution in interpreting some of the figures.

But the ONS believes that crimes such as burglary and theft, which are generally well reported and recorded, have genuinely increased.

The break-in this Tuesday at Specsavers in Monnow Street was reported at around 3.25am, after a side window was smashed and thieves had made off with two iPads and approximately 12 pairs of sunglasses.

It followed a break-in at the Sink or Swim premises in Priory Street overnight on 14th October where a front window was smashed and a stainless steel cash register and its contents stolen.

Investigations into both crimes are ongoing.

Theft in Monmouthshire has increased by 24 per cent in the past year.

Across the county there were 269 reported residential burglaries, drugs-related offences rose by eight per cent while gun and knife possession offences rose by seven to 17 incidents.

Criminal damage, which includes arson and vandalising cars and houses, has also gone up, from 532 incidents in 2016-17, to 676 while violence with injury - which includes assault, GBH and wounding - has risen too, although this could just be due to improved police recording as opposed to an increase in incidents.

Similarly, sexual crime statistics are hard to judge as many more victims are now coming forward due to a series of high profile cases.

In Monmouthshire 162 incidents were recorded between July 2017 and June 2018 compared with 120 the previous year - a rise of 35 per cent. There were also 377 cases of stalking and harassment reported over the same period.

* Anyone with information about the Specsavers burglary in Monmouth should contact Gwent Police on 101, quoting log 23 of 23/10/18. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.