Shepton Mallet has seen a sharp rise in crime, with violent offences now making up half of all reported incidents in the town.

New figures show 89 crimes were recorded in March 2025 – up from 69 the previous month – with 44 of them classed as violent.

That's an increase of five violent crimes in just four weeks, and police say they're stepping up patrols in response.

Violent crime includes everything from physical assaults to threats of violence and incidents resulting in injury.

Anti-social behaviour also jumped, with 12 reports logged in March, more than double the figure from February. This covers nuisance behaviour such as vandalism, loud groups in public spaces, and harassment.

Public order offences, which include verbal abuse, threatening behaviour and affray, also more than doubled – rising from five incidents in February to 11 in March.

Shoplifting remained consistent at six reports, while vehicle crime dropped slightly to three cases. Criminal damage and arson accounted for five incidents. These are usually cases of deliberate damage to property, including graffiti, smashed windows or small fires.

There were also three cases of thefts that didn't involve vehicles or shops, two burglaries, two other crimes including offences like possession of indecent images, and one robbery involving the use or threat of force.

Police say they are keeping a close eye on crime trends in the town and want residents to report anything suspicious.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "Our neighbourhood teams are actively working across Shepton Mallet to tackle anti-social behaviour, support victims, and prevent repeat offences. We rely on the public to share information with us – even small details can make a big difference in ongoing investigations."

Anyone with concerns is urged to report non-emergency matters via 101 or online. For emergencies or crimes in progress, always call 999.