According to the latest crime statistics released today, recorded crime in Cheshire has fallen by 11% for the period April 09 to March 2010 when compared to the recorded crime figures for the previous year. This exceeds the reductions achieved nationally where crimes recorded by the police fell by 8%.
Cheshire Constabulary has worked closely with other public services and the voluntary sector to make it harder for criminals to commit crime. They have worked with people whose lifestyle is supported by criminal activity to divert them from crime and the neighbourhood officers are making inroads into crime and disorder issues that really concern local communities.
Deputy Chief Constable Graeme Gerrard comments: "We have had some real successes over the past year. There were 8516 fewer victims of crime. In particular we have seen reductions in the number of burglaries of people's homes, robberies and the amount of violent offences.
"We have listened to what residents have said about the crimes that matter to them. Drug dealing was one of the many priorities raised by communities, and over the last year we increased the number of arrests we made for drug supply by more than 38 percent. This was evidenced in the report by a 4 percent increase in the number of drug offences reported to us.
"Over the past year we have sent a clear message to criminals saying crime doesn't pay. As well as bringing more offenders to justice we have seized more than £3.5 million in cash and assets from criminals in Cheshire between April last year and February this year.
"The report indicates that residents in Cheshire believe we are tackling the things that matter to them as anti-social behaviour is less of a concern to our residents now than it is regionally and nationally.
"The report provides a good foundation for us to build on and we have continued to see reductions in crime over the past few months. We need to continue to strengthen the working relationships we have with other agencies and to seek new and innovative ways of working over the coming months that will continue to deliver crime reductions in a climate of reducing budgets."
Currently, these crime statistics are published four times a year, but today Home Secretary Theresa May said "What matters to people is the crime that happens in their local communities and what is being done about it. This is why we want the public to know what is really going on in their area and will publish monthly crime information about what is happening on their streets by January next year."
