The line graph illustrates changes in the frequency of three specific crimes – burglary, car theft, and robbery – in Manchester between 2003 and 2012.
Overall, while burglary was the most prevalent crime at the start of the period, it saw a significant decline by the end. Conversely, car theft became the most frequent offense by 2012, while robbery remained the least common and most stable throughout the decade.
In 2003, burglaries peaked at approximately 3,400 incidents, significantly higher than car thefts (2,300) and robberies (600). Over the next five years, the number of burglaries plummeted, reaching a low of 1,100 in 2008. During the same period, car thefts and robberies also experienced slight decreases, falling to roughly 2,000 and 500 respectively.
From 2008 onwards, there was a resurgence in criminal activity. Car thefts rose sharply to end the period as the most common crime at 2,700 incidents. Burglaries also saw a moderate increase to 1,400 by 2012, though this remained far below its initial 2003 levels. Robbery figures fluctuated slightly but eventually returned to their original level of approximately 600.