Overall crime in Northern Ireland is at its lowest level in six years, PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde revealed today.

Unveiling the PSNI’s annual statistics in Belfast on Monday, Mr Orde said that for the period 1st April 2004 – 31st March 2005 the number of recorded crimes fell from 127,953 (2003/04) to 118,124, representing a decrease of 7.7%.

Reductions were also recorded in the number of burglaries with domestic burglary down 18.4% and non-domestic burglary down by 18.5%.

Vehicle crime also continued to decrease with a 28.4% drop in thefts from vehicles and a 17% reduction in thefts of vehicles.

Commenting on the figures, Mr Orde said: "PSNI's job is to make Northern Ireland safer.

“We do that by reducing the level of crime. These results show that the police are doing their job and doing it well. But we recognise that this success is not down to the police alone.

“The support that we receive from the communities we serve, the input of the District Policing Partnerships and the contribution of our many partners have all played a very large part.”

Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Sir Desmond Rea said today’s figures proved that policing in Northern Ireland is working.

“The Chief Constable and his officers are to be congratulated for building on last year’s results and delivering a further reduction of 7.7% in overall crime figures – meaning that crime levels here are the lowest in 6 years,” Sir Desmond said.

“This is extremely encouraging but of course no consolation or comfort to anyone who has been a crime victim or is fearful of being a victim.”

Concluding today’s launch, the Chief Constable made an appeal to community representatives, politicians and the media to take responsibility for “accurately reflecting and communicating the true picture of crime in Northern Ireland” and to recognise that reducing the fear of crime was as much a challenge as actually reducing it.

(MB/SP)