POLICE are looking to Bury licensees to help combat rising crime.

As new figures show that other targeted offences, including car crime and drugs, are being reduced as a result of partnerships with national and local government agencies as well as business organisations, the division's senior officer believes a similar approach to alcohol-related crime can reap rich reward.

Speaking exclusively to the Bury Times, Chief Superintendent Phil Hollowood said that he was disappointed with a 2.8 per cent increase in overall crime in the borough during the first quarter of the new financial year (April to June).

Robberies suffered a 25 per cent increase while the number of burglaries committed during the three month period totalled 607, a rise of nearly five per cent on the same period last year.

However, thefts from vehicles fell by 27 per cent, vehicle thefts decreased by nearly four per cent and there were 23 per cent less drug-related offences.

The Divisional Commander of Bury police said: "Overall crime has risen in the borough during the three months since April and I am disappointed with this. I have always said the police should not become complacent with previous reductions in year-on-year crime.

"There is still a lot of work to do. But, we cannot do it alone. Where multi-agency approaches have worked together to stamp out crime there have been significant reductions.

"Bury Council has increased security of its car parks, the Community Wardens are invaluable, the CCTV system is proving a vital tool in preventing and detecting crime and the Youth Offending Team and the probation service are playing a vital role in nipping problems in the bud."

With a total of 5,619 crimes committed between April and June, a large number of offences have been provoked by alcohol. Serious and lesser wounding, including common assault, and criminal damage incidents are exacerbated by booze. Mr Hollowood said: "Much violence and crime is fuelled by alcohol and we are increasingly working to ensure pubs, clubs and off-licences behave responsibly when selling drink.

"We are clamping down on those that don't."

As for robbery and burglary, the police have already ploughed hundreds of thousands of pounds into various initiatives to reduce the number of incidents around the borough.

Success has also been enjoyed with the arrest of prolific offenders who have been responsible for a crimewave in the East Ward area of Bury.

The courts and probation service must now take responsibility in stopping the criminals from re-offending, stressed Mr Hollowood.

He said: "In the last month, my officers have arrested 471 people of which 141 were for violent crime. We will re-double our efforts to maintain the number of criminals arrested, including some excellent arrests recently of prolific street robbers.

"It can only reduce the levels of violent crime and robberies if these criminals are prevented from re-offending. This means we must do all we can to ensure that, wherever appropriate, the courts keep offenders in custody and give tough sentences."

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis is to meet with members of Bury's Community Safety Partnership (CSP) next month. Mr Hollowood has welcomed the opportunity to discuss what more can be done, both locally and at government level, to reduce crime in the borough.

The CSP is still awaiting a decision on a strong bid for CCTV schemes in Prestwich and Radcliffe.

"I hope we get the money because CCTV really helps to prevent and detect crime," concluded Mr Hollowood.