SPY cameras keeping watch on Darlington's town centre car parks have dramatically reduced car crime.

Latest figures shows that this year there have been only 18 incidents.

That compares with 22 crimes recorded from January to August last year. The total for the whole year was 39.

Forty high-tech cameras that are able to pan, tilt and zoom, provide around-the- clock coverage of the town centre car parks, and live pictures are relayed to the town hall, where they are monitored by closed-circuit television control room staff. The system was installed in 1994 at a cost of £750,000, when 374 incidents were recorded.

Since then the figures have fallen dramatically. By 1995, crimes had been reduced to 160, the figure fell to 132 in 1996, dropped to 70 in 1997, and by 1998 it was down to 56.

The latest January to August figures have given Darlington Borough Council hope that the final total for the year will be the best ever.

Darlington council leader John Williams said: "When we first introduced the CCTV system it had an immediate impact on the level of car park crime, and since then it has been encouraging to see the downward trend continue.

"The cameras have not only proved to be successful in helping to catch criminals, but have also proved to be effective deterrents against crime. Our task now is to maintain this level of success."

Darlington MP Alan Milburn saw how the town hall's CCTV control room worked during a visit yesterday.