CRIME in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale is falling sharply and criminals should keep "looking over their shoulders" according to police.

New figures for the this year show that overall crime in Pennine Division is down by 11 per cent compared with last year and the detection rate for crimes is the highest in Lancashire.

The figures cover the five months ending August 31.

Supt Steve Hartley said: "The message is keep looking over your shoulder because if you are committing crime we will catch you.

"We have demonstrated that.

"We have had nearly six hundred fewer burglaries in less than five and a half months."

By targeting offenders and keeping a close check on their activities Supt Hartley believes crime rates can fall further still.

Burglary in the division is down 40 per cent, vehicle crime down 18.4 per cent, 380 fewer cars have been broken into.

Racially-motivated crime is down by 54 per cent and there were 120 fewer incidents reported. The detection rate is up to 56 percent.

And by working with agencies such as the borough councils, police hope to keep the figures falling.

"In May in Pendle we had 68 burglaries in one month," said Supt Hartley.

"We arrested one heroin addict who was found to be responsible for 30-40 of those.

"He was sent to prison in June, but it shows what effect one person can have on crime rates. "

"We have a long way to go yet. Juvenile nuisance and anti-social behaviour is our next big challenge, but with our partners we hope to make serious inroads into it."