AN action plan is being drawn up to reduce burglaries in Darlington.

Burglary figures for the borough are the lowest they have been for three years, but Darlington police have vowed to reduce them further.

Officers will work with agencies, including the borough council, Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support, the youth offending service and probation officers as part of the Burglary Task Group to create a draft action plan in the next three months.

The plan will cover the entire borough, focusing on hotspots including Northgate and the Park East wards of town, where 16 per cent of all burglaries of homes take place.

The force's burglary analyst, Ruth Thompson, said: "The kind of property being taken is cash and jewellery and, in general, they are entering via the windows."

At a task group meeting yesterday, members agreed to come up with ideas that will be put into the plan before the next meeting is held, in March.

Ideas being considered include leaflet drops highlighting security issues, alley gates, reassuring elderly people, and improved street-lights.

Inspector Paul Unsworth said many initiatives were already in place to tackle burglaries. These include:

* The Streetsafe scheme, which reassures the public and gives people the confidence to be vigilant and report crime

* Operation Darc - a campaign encouraging residents to lock their homes

* Improved rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders released from prison to prevent re-offending

* Neighbourhood Watch schemes handing out lightbulbs and free advice

* Smart Water -an invisible property marking scheme recently launched by the force

Insp Unsworth said: "We are doing a lot already. The thing we lack is focus and structure. We need a framework and central management that links all the issues together."

All decisions made by the task group will be accountable to the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

Anyone with community safety queries has been asked to call Darlington Neighbourhood Watch on (01325) 346832 or visit its information stand in the Dolphin Centre from 10am to 1pm tomorrow.