HOUSE burglaries were dramatically down in the Pennine police division during the three months of Operation Reassure, but violent crime was up by almost a third.

The campaign, which mainly targeted domestic burglary between November 5 and January 25, resulted in the arrest of 3,400 suspected crooks across Lancashire.

The Pennine division, which covers all of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, had one of the best results in the county from the three-month campaign.

Insp Dave Croll, of the operation support department, said: "Burglaries in dwellings were down by 42.5 per cent in the three-month period, which is a tremendous result.

"It meant that during that time 350 fewer people were victims of house burglary than during the same period of the previous year."

There was also a dramatic reduction in the number of other burglaries in shops, sheds and garages.

They were down by 28 per cent, representing 125 fewer crimes.

Motorists are also celebrating a good result from Operation Reassure, with vehicle crime crashing by 28.8 per cent.

Insp Croll said that meant that 250 fewer car owners had returned to find their vehicles either stolen or broken into.

In contrast, there were 150 more victims of violent crime, which showed a big increase, by 29.5 per cent.

Insp Croll said: "It represents what is being recorded across the country as a whole.

"We consider it to be in some respects due to more positive crime reporting, probably providing a more accurate figure than previously and taking into account domestic incidents and racial offences.

"It also includes public order offences in the town centres."

He said the fact that more police have been on duty in town centres means that more offences have been witnessed and recorded.

The total number of arrests during the period was 725, of which 422 were for violent crime, 143 for burglaries in a dwelling, 41 for other burglaries and 119 for car crime.

Insp Croll said: "We have arrested more, a definite improved detection rate."

The end of Operation Reassure does not mean that the campaign against criminals is over. Insp Croll added: "What we need to do now is to look at where we have been successful and to continue with these initiatives."