Vehicle crimes, house burglaries and criminal damage offences are all down in South Yorkshire as recorded crime continues to fall.

Total violent crime has also fallen, this category including reductions in robbery and violence against the person offences but a rise in sex offences.

Drug offences have increased slightly but fraud and forgery, and theft and handling stolen goods offences, are both down.

Gun crimes (excluding air weapons) and knife crimes have also seen a reduction.

Latest recorded crime figures show there were 18,667 fewer crimes across the county from July 2009 to June 2010 compared with the previous 12-month period – that’s a 15% reduction in total crime to 109,286 offences.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt said: “The key for us is that people feel safe and are confident that we are dealing with the issues that matter in their area. The figures released today are great news for people in South Yorkshire but there can always be fewer victims of crime.

“If you think we’re not dealing with the main issues in your area, come and tell us. We hold monthly community meetings across the Force where local people can tell the police and other organisations, such as the council, about the issues we should be dealing with. Once you’ve raised local issues then you can hold us to account at future meetings.

“Over the coming years, the police service will continually be asked to deliver more for less. This means that continuing to reduce crime will be difficult but we are committed to delivering cost-effective, quality policing for the people of South Yorkshire.”

Total vehicle crime is down nearly 22%, a reduction of 4,270 offences to 15,489. This includes theft of motor vehicle offences, down nearly 30% by 2,149 crimes to 5,096, and theft from motor vehicles, down 2,121 crimes or nearly 17% to 10,393.

There were 1,259 fewer house burglaries comparing July 2009 to June 2010 with the previous year, nearly 15% down to 7,372 crimes. Other burglaries are down just over 10% by 1,051 crimes to 9,147.

Criminal damage offences are down nearly 22% - that means 6,541 fewer crimes across South Yorkshire, down to 23,292 recorded crimes.

Total violent crime is down by 3,045 offences from July 2009 to June 2010 compared with the previous 12-month period, almost a 14% reduction to 19,082 crimes. This crime category includes:
• Violence against the person offences – down just over 14% by 2,858 offences to 17,152
• Robbery – down 255 offences to 980 across the Force, nearly a 21% decrease
• Sexual offences – up nearly 8% by 68 offences to 950 recorded crimes

Drug offences have increased by 148 crimes to 5,190 across South Yorkshire, nearly a 3% rise comparing July 2009 to June 2010 with the previous year.

Fraud and forgery offences are down nearly 22% by 805 to 2,914 crimes. Theft and handling stolen goods offences are down just over 6% by 1,727 crimes to 25,470.

Gun crimes (excluding air weapons) have fallen 22 offences to 123 across the county from July 2009 to June 2010 compared with the previous 12-month period – that’s a drop of over 15%.

Knife crimes are down by 77 offences to 571, nearly a 12% decrease.