Crime fell across east Kent last year with hundreds fewer victims of criminal damage, theft and violence, according to figures published on Thursday 15 July 2010.

1,943 fewer offences between April 2009 and March 2010

There were 19,401 recorded crimes in the Canterbury and Thanet areas from April 2009 to March 2010 compared to 21,344 in the previous year – a drop of 1,943 offences or 9.1%.

There were notable decreases in violent crime, which includes sexual offences and robbery, down from 5283 offences in 2008/09 to 4452 in 2009/10.

Theft offences went down from 5487 (2008/09) to 4986 offences last year and there was a 718 decrease in the number of incidents of criminal damage (5040 to 4322).

An area to increase was burglary. Last year saw 143 more offences compared to the previous year (2178 up to 2321).

'Reducing burglary is our number one challenge'

East Kent police commander John Molloy said the overall reduction is very welcome, particularly as it appears to have continued during the first months of this financial year. He paid tribute to hard-working staff and said that putting more officers out on the streets seems to have paid dividends both in crime reduction and increasing the confidence of local communities.

He added: 'Reducing burglary is our number one challenge and with our criminal justice and local authority partners we are working on a new initiative at making a real impact and being more effective in the way that we deal with persistent offenders.'

• Read the overall picture of Home Office crime figures in Kent.
  

Posted on: 16 July 2010