Residents of Liverpool are far less likely to be the victims of crime compared to Greater Manchester residents, according to the most recent crime statistics from British government
organizations.
Stereotypes permeate the mainstream. The danger is when people don’t know the difference between fact and fiction, stereotypes, in their minds, become reality.
Such is the case with Liverpool FC. How many times have you heard the jokes about Liverpool supporters being thieves and stealing hubcaps, or that most of them are on the dole, i.e. unemployed?
The jokes about Liverpool fans are so pervasive not only in the UK, but they’ve even popular in the U.S. — on message boards, mainstream podcasts and pub banter.
Sure, the area around Anfield is rundown and there have been several high-profile burglaries recently where football stars in Liverpool have had their cars and homes robbed, but the facts tell a different story. A story that Manchester United fans will not enjoy — especially those who sing the words to the following well-known United song about Liverpool FC:
You are a scouser
A dirty scouser
You’re only happy on Giro Day
Your mum’s out thieving
Your’s Dad’s drug dealing
Please don’t take my hubcaps away…
Consider the following facts from the British Home Office, and the British Office for National Statistics:
- In 2007/08 62% of robberies in England and Wales were recorded by three police forces: Metropolitan, Greater Manchester and West Midlands.
- Crime on Merseyside is at its lowest level since January 2001.
- In 2007/08, the Greater Manchester region was tied with South Yorkshire for having the highest percentage of people victimized by household crimes (23%). In comparison, Merseyside were far lower down the list with 14%.
- Greater Manchester has a higher percentage of people victimized by personal crime (6%) compared to Merseyside (5%).
- The only area of crime where it indicates Merseyside has a worse problem than Greater Manchester is the number of recorded drug offences (12,627 in Merseyside compared to 11,790 in Greater Manchester). In all other areas of crime, Greater Manchester has a higher percentage of crimes detected than Merseyside.
- There are more people unemployed in Manchester than Liverpool. Between July 2007 and June 2008, 9.4% of Manchester residents who were eligible for employment were unemployed compared to 7.5% in Liverpool.
Disclaimer: The Greater Manchester area includes the following neighborhood areas: North Manchester, South Manchester, Wigan, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Manchester metropolitan, Tameside, Stockport, Trafford, Salford and Airport. The Merseyside area includes the following neighborhood areas: Liverpool North, Liverpool South, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley and St. Helens.
Source: British Home Office, 2007/08 Crime Statistics.
” you've got our car stereos, we've got DiCanio” one of the better anti scouse chants.
Interesting to see that Manchester leads the thieving table, but Liverpool will still make Europe.
…as the percentages are per population then to some extent the disclaimer is not needed, because as a result the actual recorded offences would be FAR higher in Manchester area also. Those from Manchester on the terraces, all 3 of them, as oppose to the Plastic Mancs who heap abuse on Liverpool and are normally far worse I find, always like to portray Liverpudlians as thieves and vagabonds but this just proves that “the ladies” protest too much!