Crime has risen over the last year in Powys, official police records reveal.
Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 9,679 offences in Powys in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.
That was an increase of 35% compared to the previous year, when there were 7,193.
However, at 72.8 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 89.3.
Of the crimes recorded in the area over the last 12 months, 449 were sexual offences – an increase of 53% from the year before.
Meanwhile, violent crime has soared in the area, from 3,243 to 4,748 over this period.
One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in stalking and harassment, which rose by 57%, from 1,431 incidents to 2,253.
And theft offences rose by 17%, with 1,357 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.
At 10.2 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far lower than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.
Crimes recorded in Powys included:
- 449 sexual offences, a rise of 53%
- 4,748 violent offences, a rise of 46%
- 1,076 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 34%
- 347 drug offences, down 36%
- 50 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, a decrease of 34
- 1,420 public order offences, up 64%
- 1,357 theft offences, a rise of 17%
- 2,253 stalking and harassment offences, up 57%