POLICE in the Morecambe Bay area have welcomed the latest crime figures which reveal a significant drop in all types of crime.

The figures illustrate dramatic falls in reported incidents of both crime and disorder.

In the Morecambe Bay policing area, which includes Heysham, Morecambe and Carnforth, all crime is down 7per cent (436 fewer victims of crime) and anti-social behaviour is down 16.5per cent (829 fewer incidents)

These figures are of major significance in that they follow a period of several years of steadily rising crime.

Local commander, Inspector Stephen Watson said: "We are delighted with these results in that they represent a tangible improvement in our community's quality of life. They are also a reflection of the tremendous effort put in by all of our staff and partners." He added: "We are far from complacent and we recognise that there is still a lot of ground to make up. Many people in our community are still suffering from unacceptable levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. We will sustain the pressure on those individuals who persist in committing offences by taking positive action wherever possible.

Local police feel that they are turning the tide and are beginning to reap the benefits of a more structured approach to resolving community problems. Initiatives undertaken in the last 12 months include the adoption of highly flexible working practices, better use of criminal intelligence and a purposeful approach to directing officers toward proactive problem solving.

The successful undercover operation last summer, whereby officers posed as shopkeepers, is a single example of imaginative policing designed to keep the criminal on the back foot.

The police, through the Local Community Safety Strategy, are also working very much more closely with partners such as the local authority and other statutory agencies in an effort to combine resources.