CRIME continues to drop in Cherwell and West Oxfordshire, according to the latest police figures.

Between April last year and March this year, there was a five per cent reduction in all crime in the area which covers Chipping Norton, or 630 fewer victims of crime than last year.

Supt Colin Paine said: “I am pleased to announce that crime continues to fall across the Cherwell & West Oxfordshire Local Policing Area (LPA.

“This success is, in large measure, down to effective partnerships with West Oxfordshire District Council and Cherwell District Council in running excellent local initiatives to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.

“Although I would love for us to be able to claim sole credit the reality is that a range of social, economic and demographic changes over the past 10 years have also made a difference.”

There has been a seven per cent reduction in burglaries, 73 fewer than last year, an overall reduction of 14 per cent in violent crime with a reduction of 263 offences and a reduction of violence with injury offences by 20 per cent with 162 fewer serious violent offences.

The area has also seen a 19 per cent reduction in drugs related offences, with 369 fewer crimes this year, and 4.8 per cent rise in detection rate.

There has also been a 13 per cent reduction in arson and criminal damage offences with 234 fewer crimes.

However, there has been a slight Increase is in non-violent domestic reports, which has risen by seven per cent with an extra 150 reports along with an increase in sexual offences by 59 offences.

Thanking the public, Supt Paine added: “With the support of the public and our strong community safety partnerships we will continue to keep up the hard work to ensure Cherwell and West Oxfordshire remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Councillor Mark Booty, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at West Oxfordshire District Council said: "We are pleased to see that once again our district has lowered the number of crimes that have occurred over the previous 12 months and the Community Safety Partnership will continue to remain focused on prevention and education as we believe this has a positive long term impact on crime.”