CHANGES in the rules for counting offences have made it difficult to judge whether crime in Hyndburn has risen, according one of East Lancashire's leading policemen.

Superintendent Eddie Walsh, commander of Eastern division, told Hyndburn Police and Community Forum: "It is almost impossible to compare this year's figures with last year's.

"The Home Office last year changed the counting rules. A lot of offences which were not previously counted have been."

The figures from April 1998 to April 1999 for Hyndburn showed crime as a whole went up by an estimated 8.5 per cent.

The following figures can be directly compared with last year's:

Car crime went down by 2.3 per cent

House burglaries went down by 9.7 per cent

Other burglaries were down by 15.7 per cent

Disorder down by one per cent.

A rise in other offences, including violent crimes, helped contribute to the estimated overall rise.

Police say CCTV in Hyndburn has helped the police record more crime, especially in town centres. The meeting at Oswaldtwistle Town Hall heard that the main problems in Oswaldtwistle were car crime and juvenile nuisance, An operation targeting car crime in the West End area of the town to be launched soon.

Inspector Stephen Lee of Accrington police said juvenile nuisance was also a problem in Rhyddings Park, Lord Street and Merlin Court.

Insp Lee said most of the problems with youths were alcohol fuelled.

The problems in Rhyddings Park had been raised in a letter to residents by PC Paul Schofield. Insp Lee said the constable's letter had caused a little friction with the council, but he working to resolve that.

Residents made a number of complaints about juvenile nuisance in the borough, but representatives from the police, Hyndburn Council and youth groups said their organisations were working together to try and find solutions.

Insp Lee paid tribute to the work local officers had carried out after a robbery at Originals clothes shop in Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle.

He said hard work by the police had led to five arrests since the raid in November.

Councillor Jack Grime called for more frequent police patrols in the Maiden Street area of Church, where he said rowdy young skateboarders were causing problems for elderly residents.

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