AN anti-burglary initiative has been hailed a big success after reducing break-ins by 21 per cent.

The scheme is run by Hartlepool Community Safety Partnership, whose members include representatives of Hartlepool Borough Council, police, businesses and the local community. It is backed by a £60,000 Home Office grant.

Launched in July last year, it is one of 61 pilot projects set up around the country by the Government, and covers more than 3,000 homes in the Belle Vue and Rift House East area of the town.

Alison Mawson, community safety strategy officer, said: "Burglaries in the area were three to four times the national average and we have been delighted with the success of the initiative.

"The support of residents has been vital in reducing burglaries, but we want more to come forward to work with us as we are determined not to become complacent."

The scheme has adopted a number of measures to reduce burglaries, including offering all householders the chance to post code their five most valuable pieces of property and targeting burglary hotspots.

The measures also include installing security gates to deny would-be burglars access to back streets and working with young people to divert them away from crime.

By the end of April this year, the number of burglaries had fallen by 21 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.

The average fall for the rest of the town was just six per cent.

Figures show that, between April 1998 and March 1999, there were 196 burglaries in the area, but there were only 154 break-ins between April 1999 and March this year.

Sergeant Lynn Beeston, community safety sergeant with the partnership, said: "We are obviously very pleased with the reduction in burglaries in the area, which is more than three times that achieved elsewhere in the town."