Police are winning the war against crime in the Wharfe Valley.

And a police chief believes the drop in crime figures is down to a policy of targeting known offenders in the area.

Figures revealed by West Yorkshire Police show that burglaries in Addingham, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston has plunged by 35 per cent.

There were 55 raids on homes in those areas between April and August this year compared to 86 in the same period last year.

There were 73 burglaries on other properties compared to 100 in the same period last year.

And there were successes in other areas of crime. Theft from vehicles fell in those areas from 161 last year to 137 this year.

Chief Inspector Rod West of Keighley police said: "The reduction in figures in the Wharfe Valley is largely attributable to our policy of targeting known offenders.

"We are very pleased about the reduction."

The figures were welcomed at a meeting of Addingham Parish Council where crime had fallen by half in almost every section except thefts from motor vehicles.

The figures were outlined by Ilkley police Inspector Alison Bennett at a recent meeting of the village Parish Council.

House burglaries had dropped from seven to three, burglaries of other buildings such as sheds and garages halved from four to two and there were no thefts of motor vehicles compared to one in the same period last year.

Offences of taking vehicles without the owners' consent, where the vehicle is later recovered, dropped from four incidents to one and damage to motor vehicle offences fell dramatically from seven to one.

There were two assaults compared to three last year but there were no robberies and no thefts from person, which is the same as last year.

Village Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Harry Rowlinson said there was no room for complacency despite the improvement.

He said that car drivers were still leaving valuables on full view in parked vehicles which was an open invitation to thieves.

He also urged people with garages to keep their cars in them instead of filling them with household junk.

"In the Keighley Division last year one car was broken into while parked in a garage compared to several hundred which were outside," said Mr Rowlinson.

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