Poll: Household crime figures are down - do you feel safer?
There were 7.1 million incidents of crime against households and adults in England and Wales in the year to June, a 16% decrease from 8.4 million the previous year.
Crime prevention minister Norman Baker said: " There are now 2.3 million fewer crimes per year than when the coalition Government took office.
"That includes 413,000 fewer acts of violence and 160,000 fewer burglaries, with criminal damage down by 962,000 incidents. This is good news for a safer England and Wales.
"There are also positive signs that police recording of crime is improving, and that more victims of crimes such as sexual offences and fraud are coming forward - which is something we welcome."
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However, rape levels recorded by police in England and Wales are at their highest ever level, the figures revealed.
The number increased 29% to 22,116 incidents in the year to June, the highest level recorded, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
ome Office figures included with the release showed a 5% increase in hate crime, with 44,480 incidents in the period, up from 42,236 the previous year.
Race hate crimes made up 84% of all hate crimes, rising 4% to 37,484 incidents and religious hate crimes made up 5% of all hate crimes but rose 45% to 2,273, which statisticians said was driven by higher levels of hate crime in the wake of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.
