Crime

Crime is difficult to measure and that makes it easy to be alarmed by newspaper reports that might not tell the whole story. We look behind the headline figures and put them in context

23 March 2023

Outcome of Charles Bronson’s parole hearing has not yet been announced

Multiple Facebook posts have claimed Charles Bronson’s parole bid has been successful and that he is due to be released from prison.

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Outcome of Charles Bronson’s parole hearing has not yet been announced
4 January 2023

Rishi Sunak’s New Year speech fact checked

We’ve looked at some of the claims made by the PM in his first speech of 2023.

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Rishi Sunak’s New Year speech fact checked
17 November 2022

Warning over alleged Christmas postal ‘scam’ is long out of date

The premium-rate number a Facebook post warns about was shut down in 2005.

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Warning over alleged Christmas postal ‘scam’ is long out of date
2 November 2022

Claims that bogus census takers are robbing houses in the UK are false

Similar posts have been appearing around the world for at least six years.

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Claims that bogus census takers are robbing houses in the UK are false
28 October 2022

Are crime rates at a record high?

Although the number of crimes recorded by police is on the rise, the overall crime rate as measured by the crime survey is falling.

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Are crime rates at a record high?
2 September 2022

Report of abandoned newborn babies around the country are false

Images of a newborn baby supposedly abandoned in several English towns and cities were actually taken in Thailand in 2017.

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Report of abandoned newborn babies around the country are false
18 August 2022

Reports of a serial killer on the loose in Dundee are false

Multiple posts claim the same individual is active in cities around the world.

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Reports of a serial killer on the loose in Dundee are false
10 August 2022

Post warning communities of a dangerous man in the area are fake

A post warning that a man is attacking people is fake. Multiple versions of the warning have been circulating on Facebook.

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Post warning communities of a dangerous man in the area are fake
5 August 2022

Warnings about 'homeless pair' attacking people are fake

A post warning that two people are pretending to be homeless before attacking people is fake. Several versions of the warning have been circulating on Facebook.

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Warnings about 'homeless pair' attacking people are fake
28 July 2022

No evidence Keir Starmer tried to block the prosecution of Muslim grooming gangs

Widely-shared posts on Facebook make an unsubstantiated claim about Mr Starmer’s work for the Crown Prosecution Service.

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No evidence Keir Starmer tried to block the prosecution of Muslim grooming gangs

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