Crime down 32pc in three years

Crime across Dudley has fallen by 32 per cent over the last three year's although more still needs to be done to make people feel safer in their own community, crimefighters say.

Latest statistics show the number of recorded offences across the borough fell from 19,537 in 2004/05 to 13,949 between February 1 2007 and January 31 2008. Violent crime fell by 14 per cent from 3,609 offences to 3,112 while robberies also dropped from 538 to 488. House burglaries also reduced from 2,336 to 1,780 and there was a massive 50 per cent fall in vehicle crime.

This went down from 6,795 offences to 3,275. The only area to record an increase was the theft of bicycles which rose from 239 to 257.

Dudley's Community Safety Partnership, made up of various agencies including the council, police and health bosses has now drawn up a plan outlining the action it plans to take to reduce offences further up to 2011.

Key priorities include reducing anti-social behaviour, making people feel safe, cutting the number of burglaries, reducing drug dealing and drug taking and lowering the number of environmental crime offences.

Dudley Council Chief Executive Andrew Sparke said he was delighted with the figures which proved the partnership was effective.

He said: "The achievement reflects the hard work of all the agencies in our partnership and the contributions of the people who live and work here.

"We must also acknowledge that many members of our communities do not feel any safer now than they did before. Perceptions of crime and disorder rarely seem to match the statistics.

"Further reductions in crime and disorder are the aim of this partnership and we intend to work harder than ever to achieve them.

"We also plan to fully include our communities and make them more and more a part of the solution rather than simply being the people we serve."

The crime figures and action planned over the next few years will be outlined to Dudley Council's cabinet at a meeting tonight.