Crime levels at four-year low

6:46am Saturday 17th May 2008

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Crime in West Yorkshire is at a four-year low, with more than 20,000 fewer victims of robbery, theft and violent crime in the last year, according to latest police figures.

Total crime is down in the year by more than eight per cent. Robberies fell by five per cent, violent crime was down by 9.6 per cent, vehicle crime plummeted by 14 per cent and criminal damage was down by more than 12 per cent.

There was a slight increase in the number of house burglaries, but the number of house burglary victims has been halved in the last five years.

Deputy Chief Constable Julia Hodson said: "We have significantly cut crime during the last 12 months and we are working hard to ensure that it continues.

"We are committed to delivering the best possible service to people in the county. Confidence and satisfaction levels are stable and the fear of crime has fallen.

"We have a number of quality of service initiatives in place to improve confidence and satisfaction. Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams are, of course, at the forefront of this, building up relationships in communities and dealing with local problems."

Ann Liston, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Authority's strategic planning and performance committee, said "The force is continuing the trend set in the last quarter, driving down crime and producing good results against the stretching targets set for it by the authority.

"The challenge is to keep up this work, but there is plenty in these latest figures for the people of West Yorkshire to be pleased about."

l Children under 16 are to be included in the Government's flagship crime figures for the first time, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced.

She is asking for views on how children should be surveyed for the British Crime Survey (BCS), including which age groups should take part.

It could mean children under ten - who legally cannot be held responsible for their actions - being asked if they have been victims.

The move is expected to provide a more accurate picture of true crime levels, and is also likely to see estimated crime figures go up.

Children's groups have campaigned for young people to be included in the BCS - which ministers say is the most accurate measure of crime - and argued there was no good reason to exclude them.

e-mail: steve.wright @telegraphandargus.co.uk