A spate of burglaries turned a village near Petersfield into one of the most “crime-ridden” areas of East Hampshire in March.

Six burglaries were reported in the Buriton area during the month with four taking place near the church and two on the fringes of Queen Elizabeth Country Park.

Two properties on North Lane were targeted along with houses on Bones Lane and High Street.

Furthermore, more crimes were reported on Greenway Lane in March than on any other road in the Butser, Clanfield and Rowlands Castle patch with four altogether.

However, crime rates remain study with 50 reported in March compared to 48 in February.

The most commonly reported crimes were VSOs (16) closely followed by anti-social behaviour on 10.

Crime levels fell to their lowest level for more than a year in the Petersfield patch with 69 being reported compared to 86 the month before.

Lavant Street Petersfield
Lavant Street was Petersfield’s joint-most “crime ridden” in March with six offences being reported. Three involved shoplifting. (Tindle/Paul Ferguson)

Again, VSOs (21) made up nearly a third of all offences reported with shoplifting (9) being the second most common crime. With that in mind, Lavant Street was equal with Goodyer Close as the most “crime ridden” road in Petersfield with six incidents apiece.

The figures at www.police.uk also show that a burglary and an offence involving drugs both took place on Chapel Street during the month, while three bikes were stolen near the Charles Street and Lavant Street crossroads.

There was a rise in crime in the Liss patch with 34 being reported compared to the 23 in February.

Twenty involved VSOs with six being recorded on Church Road in Steep during the month while police also investigated reports of someone being in possession of an offensive weapon in High Cross.

Just 15 crimes were reported in the Rogate, Harting and Stedham patch, with the first village in that triumvirate seeing zero offences.