Area's crime falls over last year

Violent assaults, road deaths, burglaries and car crime across the Telford area have dropped, new figures from West Mercia Constabulary revealed yesterday.

The year-end performance figures showed statistics across the area had improved in four main categories, with a big reduction in the number of crimes.

The number of crimes recorded for the 12 months until March 31 was 13,542 compared to 15,490 on the previous year, a reduction of 12.5 per cent.

While violent crimes rep-orted went down from 3,284 in 2005/06 to 3,078 (six per cent) and domestic burglaries dropped to 460 last year from 726 the previous year, a reduction of 37 per cent.

There were 37 serious or fatal road accidents in 2006/07 compared to 60 the previous 12 months - a 38 per cent drop.

Telford Community Policing Board, which monitors police performance in the Telford area, welcomed the news that there has been a significant reduction in overall crime in the Telford Police Division, with 1,948 fewer victims of crime compared to the previous year.

Acting Chief Superintendent Peter Robinson said: "The reduction includes 499 fewer victims of car crime, a 25 per cent reduction on the previous year and 266 fewer victims of domestic burglary, a 37 per cent reduction on the previous year.

"Just as importantly, there were 206 fewer victims of violent crime and the Division "bucked" the trend of other areas that saw a rise in violent crime last year."

Karen Tomlinson, chairman of the Telford Community Policing Board, said: "I hope this success will enable people who live and work in Telford to feel safer and more secure. Congratulations must go to the police."