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POLICE claim crime fell by 9.7 per cent in Basingstoke and Deane Borough, in a new report.

The drop came about as a result of a large reduction in robberies, house burglaries and thefts from motor vehicles.

However, thefts of motor vehicles and drug offences went up.

The figures are published in the latest report by the Basingstoke and Deane Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), which brings together Hampshire Constabulary, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and 22 other organisations.

They compare the period between April and September 2007 with the same period the year before.

Bill Flood, partnership joint chairman, said: "We've made excellent progress over the past year, but we need to do more to make sure residents in our borough feel safe."

Chief Inspector Jill Baldry, Basingstoke's top police officer and partnership joint chairman, told The Gazette: "This reduction in recorded crime is very welcome. It indicates to us that there have been nearly 2,000 fewer victims of crime this year."

She said the introduction of neighbourhood policing, police community support officers (PCSOs) and technological advances, such as automated number-plate-reading, the use of DNA and SmartWater property coding, contributed to the reduction in crime.

The CDRP report identified Basingstoke town centre as the worst area for crime, with 1,500 reported offences, followed by Norden ward with nearly 1,000.

The partnership identified a number of priority offences to tackle, including violent crime and criminal damage, which accounted for about half the borough's recorded crime.

There were 1,643 offences of violence against the person between April 1 and September 30, 2007 - a fall of 9.1 per cent. Criminal damage was 5.3 per cent down to 1,652 incidents.

Chief Insp Baldry said issuing fixed penalty notices for disorder early in the evening was tending to reduce violent behaviour later.

The greatest increase in crime came from drug offences, which increased by a third to 186.

Chief Insp Baldry said: "This reflects the increased number of search warrants, stop-and-search encounters and other arrests, often following the receipt of intelligence."

The report identified drug dealers from other areas entering the borough as a growing problem.

She said there would continue to be a "robust approach" towards gangs from Southampton, London and Birmingham.

Thefts from motor vehicles fell by 18.8 per cent, but thefts of motor vehicles rose by the same percentage.

Falling crime rates were reported for fraud and forgery, sexual offences and theft.

11:53am Monday 17th March 2008

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