BURGLARIES and shoplifting have increased in Oxfordshire over the past year and the recession could be to blame, a solicitor warned last night.

Figures released by Thames Valley Police showed a slight overall increase in total crime across the county.

Recession crime indicators like burglaries, shoplifting and car crime – known as acquisitive crimes – have gone up most.

And Martin Bourne, a criminal lawyer at Darbys’ solicitors, in Oxford, said that as more people lost their jobs, some would turn to crime.

Mr Bourne added: “There are notable increases in acquisitive crime.

“This is due to the recession and job losses, without a doubt.

“I have seen people who were once criminals find work, then give up that criminal life.

“Now some are returning to their old ways, because they’re made unemployed.

“For some, when feeling the pinch, going out and committing a burglary or shoplifting is getting more money than relying on benefits.

“The longer someone is unemployed, then the longer they get set in their criminal ways.

“If the recession drags on, people will get into a pattern of offending, which will be difficult to break.”

Last month, there were 8,444 Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in Oxfordshire, the highest total since 1997.

This figure is expected to increase tomorrow with the publication of the latest set of unemployment figures, which will be released on the same day as Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling unveils the Government’s 2009-10 Budget in the House of Commons.

The latest crime figures for Oxfordshire – for the 12 months between April last year and March this year – showed an overall increase of one per cent in recorded crime.

Across the county there were 1,846 burglaries, an increase of six per cent, while in Oxford there was a 15 per cent rise over the year, to 907 offences.

Theft from vehicles from across the county increased by two per cent to 2,961 and burglaries at places other than people’s homes increased by six per cent to 2,934 cases.

Shoplifting has increased by a fifth, to 3,851 offences, while interfering with a motor vehicle saw a 19 per cent rise in reported incidents, with 561 crimes.

Violent crime, such as wounding with intent, and sexual offences, fell by a combined 18 per cent.

Police have also achieved a 50 per cent detection rate for serious violent crimes in the county, which Det Chief Colin Paine said was down to early intervention work, such as penalty notices and an increase in officers wearing cameras.

Oxford police commander Supt Andy Murray said: “Overall, these are still the second best set of crime figures we’ve had for 20 years.”

Overall crime increased by three per cent in Oxford, 10 per cent in west Oxfordshire, four per cent in Vale of White Horse and 0.4 per cent in Cherwell.

Reported crime was down by 10 per cent in south Oxfordshire .The amount of total crimes solved by police fell from 28.5 per cent to 25.5 per cent.

View the crime stats

Rising job losses will lead to many former criminals returning to their old habits, two of Oxford’s most senior police officers admitted last night.

Burglary, robbery and car crime figures in Oxford were at their lowest levels for 20 years, before the nation slipped into economic recession at the end of last year.

The latest unemployment figures are due to be published tomorrow and are expected to show another month-on-month increase in the numbers out of work in the county.

Det Chief Insp Colin Paine, the head of the serious acquisitive crime unit in Oxford, said that figures for shoplifting offences were the first indicator to show that the economy was on the slide.

In the past year, there were 3,851 recorded thefts from shops across the county and Mr Paine admitted that the figure was likely to be even higher in coming months, because most incidents go unreported.

He added: “I would want to rule out an indirect link between the state of the economy and the small increase in acquisitive crime.

“Some offenders stop offending when in work.

“When the economy suffers, then jobs dry up.”

Oxford police commander Supt Andy Murray said economic problems and the resulting increase in the number of people out of work were making policing more difficult for his officers.

He added: “It’s too early to say whether recession has fuelled serious acquisitive crime.

“But part of rehabilitation is ensuring that prolific offenders find employment.

“If people have got a job, they’re far less likely to commit crime.”