Crime has dropped by a quarter during the coronavirus lockdown but domestic abuse has risen and assaults on frontline emergency workers have spiked.
New figures from all 43 forces in England and Wales shows an overall 25 per cent drop in the four weeks to May 10.
The provisional National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) data put burglary down 36 per cent, vehicle crime 41 per cent, and serious assault fell 30 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Recorded rape offences have fallen 28 per cent and shoplifting almost halved as most Brits have been housebound under the lockdown rules.
But domestic abuse has continued to rise by four per cent after fears abusers could exploit the crisis while locked at home.
There has been a 25 per cent increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse helpline since lockdown began on March 23.
Assaults on emergency services workers are up 14 per cent during the period after a string of coughing or spitting attacks by people claiming to have coronavirus.
More than 300 NHS workers and police were attacked during April, the Crown Prosecution Service said, with a total of 420 people charged.
Boris Johnson confirmed on Wednesday that 312 health workers have died after contracting the virus.
Police have handed out over 14,000 fines to lockdown flouters, but the CPS had to overturn 44 wrongful charges and 13 convictions brought under the Coronavirus Act.
Chief constable Andy Cooke, NPCC lead for crime operations, said: “These figures are not a surprise, as the public have largely stayed home during the lockdown period.
“Forces use any spare capacity they have during lockdown to focus on proactively pursuing criminals, completing complex investigations and reducing violence.
“As measures ease, we will bear down crime and do all we can to try and prevent it rising to pre-lockdown highs.”
He added that 999 calls to police have dropped by 23 per cent and to 101 by a quarter.
NPCC chair Martin Hewitt said: “Policing remains in a strong position and we are not wasting any of the extra capacity this crisis has brought.
“Forces have been able to do more proactive policing and reduce backlogs in complex investigations, which will lead to justice being done for many victims, removing criminals from communities and getting ahead of crime before it happens.”
