Burglaries in Jersey rose by almost 14% last year

The annual police report shows Jersey people and UK nationals accounted for almost 75% of all crime.

Elderly Jersey residents feared crime the most, but the victims were most likely to be aged between 25 and 34.

Most offenders, however, were aged 16 to 24.

Burglaries were up by almost 14% last year, compared with 2001.

The report said 520 burglaries were committed, even though the island had the second lowest break-in rate in the British Isles.

Insecure properties

Island homes have an almost one in 50 chance of being broken into.

Jersey's chief police officer Graham Power said: "About two thirds of the burglaries in dwellings last year took place where entry was gained through insecure doors and windows.

"If people won't lock up when they go out, it is going to be hard to bring this statistic down," he said.

There was a worrying increase in the number of females committing offences, with 20% of crimes carried out by women.

Drugs seized

Vehicle crime accounted for a quarter of all crimes last year.

The report also showed that drugs with a street value of more than �0.5m were seized in the island in 2002.

Most arrests were linked to criminal organisations in the UK.

The island's roads were safer than ever, with no deaths for the first time ever in modern times.