A POLICE crackdown on known criminals has brought down crime levels in Hyndburn.

Crime is down by 16 per cent in the borough compared to a 10 per cent overall drop in the rest of the eastern division which covers Hyndburn, Blackburn, Darwen and Ribble Valley.

The latest figures have been released shortly after police in Accrington launched a new initiative to crack down on crime.

Inspector Stephen Lee said: "We are pleased with the figures for the last year. Crime detection rates stand at 45 per cent, which is above the division and national averages.

"A lot is down to targeting known criminals and taking action. Of course, other initiatives, such as the CCTV system, have also played a part."

The police recently launched a pilot scheme in Hyndburn to target crime at the source. Superintendent Wendy Walker, operations manager for the eastern division, said the Problem Orientated Policing scheme was a new initiative being tested in different parts of Lancashire.

She said: "The initiative in Accrington is a pilot scheme for the eastern division. t is about looking at the root cause of a problem and seeing how we can solve it.

"We will be working with the council, community and individuals."

She said it was cost-effective policing to target the problem at source rather than officers having to respond to a problem time and time again.

The scheme involves police, for example, cracking down on under-age drinkers by using information from the public to target off-licences selling alcohol to youngsters.

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