Crime has risen over the last year in Barnet, official police records reveal.

The Met Police recorded 27,597 offences in Barnet in the 12 months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, when there were 26,073.

However, at 69.2 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, 773 were sexual offences – an increase of 39% from the year before.

Meanwhile, violent crime has risen in the area, from 7,394 to 7,885 over this period.

One of the main factors behind this increase was the rise in violence without injury, which rose by 14%, from 2,747 incidents to 3,118.

And theft offences rose by 5%, with 12,697 incidents recorded in the 12 months to March.

At 31.8 crimes per 1,000 people, that was higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 25.1.

Crimes recorded in Barnet included:

• 773 sexual offences, a rise of 39%

• 7,885 violent offences, a rise of 7%

• 1,852 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up 3%

• 1,082 drug offences, down 12%

• 151 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, up 1%

• 2,114 public order offences, up 14%

• 12,697 theft offences, a rise of 5%

• 2,519 stalking and harassment offences, up 2%