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Even though figures show a seventh successive annual decrease in overall crime on the UK’s railways, cable theft has increased by more than 66 per cent, says British Transport Police (BTP).

A church has been left with a £400,000 repair bill following years of lead being stolen from the roof. St John the Divine based in Lancashire holds the grave of General James Scarlett, who led the charge of the Heavy Brigade in the Crimean War.

A nineteen-year-old has been charged with armed robbery at a service station. Ben David Jones allegedly robbed the Ewloe station in the north of Wales on Bank Holiday Monday. Others have been swiftly arrested by police investigating the robbery but no one else has been charged.

A spate of copper thefts has disrupted communications services for both businesses and residences. Broadband was affected in parts of south Wales because cable was taken. British Telecom has requested that people in the area report anything they believe is suspicious.

An estate agent said a toilet building being sold was in a "fabulous" location and was confident it would sell easily on the open market. "There's a lot you can do and properties will always sell for the right price and people will buy anything and to own a little bit of Leicester," said June P

Officials said a security breach in 2010 at a jail now known as HMP Isle of Wight, has since been dealt with. A report by the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said the merger of various prisons had impacted on "every aspect" of the establishment.

Increased thefts from church roofs of lead and other metals are “vexatious, morale sapping and costly" according to church leaders. In one diocese alone during 2007/8 more than 150 insurance claims were lodged and £550,000 paid out.

The number of crimes fell by 3 per cent last year compared with 2009, says the British Crime Survey (BCS). The number of crimes recorded by police also fell 6%. The number of burglaries rose by 14%, the BCS figures showed, however. The largest falls in crime recorded by the police were for criminal damage and offences against vehicles, down 17% and 12% respectively.

By looking at a website list, visitors can see which cafes and supermarkets are continuing to let people use their toilets for free. Participating venues are listed at sutton.gov.uk/toilets as a council response to shoppers’ wishes.

A senior police officer has urged people not to give thieves a chance now we are in summer time. British Summertime officially started when the clocks went back a fortnight ago. Unfortunately in the warmer weather it is tempting to leave doors and windows open – thus attracting opportunist criminals, says Cumbria’s Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham.

More than halving the number of public toilets within its boundaries could cause problems for those visiting a town, a public meeting has heard.

A council organisation says crime will rise and youth will suffer following Government cuts. Harrow Council says repercussions will be felt after around £150,000 was stripped out of its Youth Offending Team (YOT). The authority explained the YOT works with young people at risk of offending to try and steer them away from crime, and works with around 300 10 to 18 year olds a year.