More than 950 wheelie bins stolen in Sunderland in a year

Sunderland City Council’s scrutiny co-ordinating committee were told of the figure while getting an update on the latest Sunderland crime statistics for the 2017/18 year.

Figures showed a 31 per cent rise on the previous year – an additional 7,617 crimes – which was mainly linked to violence against a person without injury and public disorder.

However, a council report stated previous council policy to charge residents for replacement wheelie bins (unless they were reported to police) was having a “big impact upon crime levels in Sunderland”.

Although the authority brought in this policy in October 2017, the committee heard residents could still be reporting stolen bins expecting to get a free replacement.

Northumbria Police’s Superintendent Paul Milner, speaking at Sunderland Civic Centre, confirmed bin thefts accounted for almost three per cent of total crime in Sunderland in 2017/18.

In year up to March 2018, a total of 956 bins were reported stolen – a rise on around 800 the previous year.

Currently, the council charges £25 to replace any bin that is stolen, lost or damaged beyond repair.

It only offers a free replacement for bins damaged by the council during collection.

Chairman of the committee, Coun Dianne Snowdon, asked for this information on updated policy to be circulated to all councillors in future.

Chris Binding, Local Democracy Reporting Service