MORE crime is committed in East Lancashire than anywhere else in the county, with almost half of all the region's burglaries taking place in the area.

Statistics released by police today reveal that the two divisions which cover East Lancashire lead the way in almost every type of offence.

But Lancashire police say crime rates have dropped in recent months and the trend looks set to continue.

Constabulary chiefs are also expecting the force to get top marks in the annual report published by Her Majesty's Inspectorate.

The Government appointed inspection team produced a report last year which criticised Chief Constable Pauline Clare and her management style.

The report said the massive change programme introduced by Mrs Clare had hit force morale and created problems.

Eastern Division, covering Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, and Pennine Division, covering Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, have long been recognised as the busiest areas of the county.

Both divisions receive a higher level of funding than other areas because of the high level of crime in East Lancashire. In the first three months of the current financial year just under 29,000 crimes were committed in Lancashire. The highest number of crimes took place in the Pennine Division with 5,806 offences, closely followed by Eastern Division with 5,393 crimes.

Both areas also had the highest number of accidents and incidents of anti-social behaviour and public disorder.

Vehicle crime was also highest in East Lancashire with 3,300 offences in the last three months along with assaults and violent crime.

More than 530 people were assaulted in Eastern Division and 605 in the Pennine area. Despite the high figures violent crime in the county fell by 12 per cent.

But the area for greatest concern is burglary with nearly half of the county's break-ins taking place in East Lancashire.

In the first three months of the year 616 premises were burgled in the Pennine Division and 462 in Eastern Division out a total of 2,484 across Lancashire.

Figures for the first quarter of the year show crime across Lancashire has dropped by just under ten per cent.

The number of people injured in road traffic accidents fell by more than ten per cent to 1,973 accident victims during the same period. Public order and nuisance cases dropped by 7.5 per cent to just under 2,800.

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