CLOSED-CIRCUIT television security cameras have made Darlington town centre one of the safest places to park in the North, say council officials.

Figures released by Darlington Borough Council revealed that the number of car thefts and break-ins has reduced year-on-year since 1994, when a CCTV system was introduced.

The council controls 40 cameras providing 24-hour coverage of 14 town centre car parks.

Live pictures are relayed from the cameras to a control centre in the Town Hall, where they are monitored by trained staff who can contact the police with any relevant information.

But more than helping to catch criminals, the CCTV system has worked as a deterrent to stop thieves, according to the council's statistics.

In 1994, when the £750,000 camera system was installed, there were 374 car crime incidents recorded in town centre car parks.

A year later, the figure had fallen to 160, and by 1996 it was down to 132.

In 1997, there were only 70 cases reported. In 1988 there were 56 reported car crimes, and in 1999 only 38.

Last year there were 30 reported incidents, and the latest figures show that up to the end of July this year, there have been only 12 car crimes in council-run car parks.

Nick Wallis, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "It is encouraging to see the cameras continuing to make a real impact on car crime in the town centre.

"There is no doubt the cameras are a major deterrent to car thieves.

"Darlington town centre is one of the safest places in the North of England to park your car, and that has to be good news for shoppers, visitors and town centre businesses."

The police have backed the council figures and say the introduction of CCTV has helped to cut all sorts of crime in the town centre.

Acting Detective Inspector Alec Francis, of Darlington police, said: "CCTV has had an impact on crime throughout the town.

"Many types of crime are on the decrease because of the cameras."