So says Wrexham town centre Inspector Paul Wycherley after the proactive partnership between North Wales Police and Glyndŵr University saw crime fall even further on its Plas Coch campus.
There were 18 incidents at the University in the last 12 months, and seven this calendar year.
The lack of crime on-site contradicts a report by the Complete University Guide (CUG) which announced the area around the Welsh institution is the worst in Wales for “student relevant” offences.
The CUG study was based on incidences of burglary, violent crime and robbery within a three mile radius of the main Wrexham campus, which includes the town centre, supermarkets, pubs and the Caia Park housing estate.
Inspector Wycherley dismissed the figures and said they “do not reflect” the hard work of police and Glyndŵr University, which he described as a “very safe place to study”.
“The statistics I have seen do not reflect the actual records pertaining to the University itself, as they include areas of the town centre, which has the busiest night time economy in North Wales,” he said.
“In actual fact the number of crimes reported on campus within the last 12 months totals 18, including three thefts from motor vehicles, three thefts of pedal cycles, two thefts of unattended handbags and one of criminal damage.”
Inspector Wycherley added: “Clearly our aim is for no crime whatsoever to take place and that is a challenge we relish, working with Wrexham Community Safety Partnership and University staff.
“The truth is that Glyndŵr University is a very safe place to study.”
The University said it was disappointed to see the same criteria being used again and again in the yearly CUG report.
“We are frustrated that the University is being painted in such a negative light, especially as virtually no crime takes place on-campus,” said a spokesman.
“We take the security of our students extremely seriously and work with the local council, the police and other public authorities through the Wrexham Community Safety Partnership to improve negative public perceptions of Wrexham unnecessarily inflamed by reports such as this.”
Jo Smith, Glyndŵr University’s Safety, Health and Environmental Manager, highlighted that prospective and existing students have no reason to be concerned about crime levels.
“We do not have a problem with crime and have a great relationship with North Wales Police and our other partners. We all work closely together and as Inspector Wycherley says, this is a very safe place to live, to work and to study.”
Following last year’s CUG study the University and North Wales Police revealed that not one crime had taken place on the Wrexham campus in the six months leading up to the report, and in the previous 12 months there were no violent incidents, no thefts from vehicles, no burglaries and no robberies on-site.
Find out more about Glyndwr University at its August 16 open day, or visit the website at www.glyndwr.ac.uk
