A NORTH-EAST police force has reported a reduction its year-end crime totals

Crime dropped by 9.5 per cent across the Northumbria Police area in the 12 months ending March 31. The total number of recorded offences fell from 157,051 to 142,122.

Violent crime, house burglary and car crime all fell, meaning overall crime levels have tumbled 32 per cent since offences peaked in Northumbria in 1991.

For the past year, house burglary is down 23 per cent, vehicle crime by 11 per cent violent crime by seven per cent, robberies by four per cent, racist crimes by nine per cent and criminal damage by three per cent.

The overall detection rate dipped from 30.3 per cent to 28.6 per cent, with a total of 84,111 arrests. Of those arrested for criminal offences, 57 per cent were charged, summonsed, cautioned or had offences taken into consideration.

Although the number of drugs offences fell by 14 per cent, officers were successful in disrupting some major distribution networks, seizing drugs with a street value of £9.5m - most of it cannabis - the highest recovered by the force.