A town councillor has queried the "alarming" increase in reported crimes in Kenilworth town centre, with incidents increasing at the highest rate of any area across Warwick district.

Kenilworth St John's ward - which includes Warwick Road and the town centre - has seen a 105 per cent increase in reported antisocial behaviour between 20223-23 and 2024-25, Cllr Richard Dickson said at last week's Kenilworth Town Council meeting.

Meanwhile the total number of incidents logged by the police has shot up 23 per cent.

Speaking at last week's meeting, Cllr Dickson highlighted the figures and pointed to the fact crime in the other wards in the town have remained the same or even fallen slightly.

In Abbey and Arden wards there was a one per cent increase in reported crimes and a seven per cent decrease in antisocial behaviour. Data did not include sexual offences.

"I think we need to watch both for antisocial behaviour and for all reported offences in the town centre, what appears to be a significant increase in crime being reported," he said. 

"I don't doubt there's also a lot of other crime that is not being reported there. 

"So when we get the opportunity to engage with our police officers, that's something that we should be considering."

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Cllr Dickson said he had asked Warwickshire Police for an explanation, and was told the reporting system for crimes - particularly antisocial behaviour - has changed, leading to an increase of reported incidents.

He continued: "[St John's] is the highest of any ward in Warwick district for antisocial behaviour and the increase in all reported offences except sexual offences is also the highest apart from one other ward."

Earlier this month Kenilworth Watch also reported there had been a surge of burglaries and thefts across the town.