A million-pound drive to bring down crime in three badly affected areas of the region is beginning to deliver results.

The year-long initiative to tackle theft related offences, including burglary and robbery, was funded through the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund and ran from 2020 until 2021.

Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner helped secure the extra funding for targeted work in the Burn Valley area of Hartlepool, the Newport area of Middlesbrough, and the South Bank area of the Redcar and Cleveland local authority.

MillionNew figures released by the force’s Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) Steve Turner show that cash has helped reduce offences in all three areas.

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According to Mr Turner, by March 2022, and in comparison with the 2019/20 base line data - burglary rates have dropped by 49 per cent in Burn Valley, Hartlepool; in Newport, acquisitive crime reduced by 35 per cent; and in South Bank, burglaries dropped by 19 per cent.

He said: “This first round of the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding shows we can work successfully in partnership with a range of agencies to deliver real benefits for residents in crime-hit neighbourhoods.

“Our achievements in reducing acquisitive crimes were despite being given a short time to deliver the project and working restrictions, both caused by the COVID pandemic.

“We used our experience from the first project to inform bids for future Home Office funding, which has resulted in further Safer Streets grants.

“This will help us support another two communities in Cleveland to live safer lives.”

Safety improvements

Measures introduced as part of first Safer Streets project included improvements to CCTV and street lighting; securing alley gates; screening void properties; and employing a Community Cohesion and victim support workers to support the local community.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added his voice to the praise of the crime-fighting initiative.

He said: “The figures speak for themselves – the Safer Streets funding made a massive difference in cutting crime and making neighbourhoods safer.

“Decent, law-abiding residents have an absolute right to live free from crime, intimidation and anti-social behaviour and we will continue to do everything in our power to stamp it out.”

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