CRIME is falling in Stevenage and North Herts according to recent figures.

Herts Police has said that in 2012/2013 crime fell in Stevenage by 11.2 per cent compared to the same period the previous year – a reduction of 696 crimes.

North Herts crime also fell by 15.8 per cent, a reduction of 954 offences on the previous year.

Overall police have seen a fall of 14.7 per cent in Hertfordshire with 9,148 fewer crimes being recorded in the 12 months up to March 2013.

County wide, violent offences reported reduced by 9.8 per cent and anti-social behaviour by 28.5 per cent.

Chief Constable Andy Bliss said: “It is reassuring to see that we are focusing our efforts in the right areas and that we are managing to bring crime down year-on-year. These figures reflect the dedication and professionalism of all those working for and with Hertfordshire Constabulary, to keep crime as low as possible and keep the county a safe place to live and a great place to visit.

“It is only possible to keep crime and anti-social behaviour down by making sure we do not rest, but keep working on identifying potential future risks and advising the public on how they can help us prevent crime before it happens.”

Police and crime commissioner David Lloyd added: “The latest crime figures make very encouraging reading, demonstrating that the police are performing well in keeping crime low in Hertfordshire.”

Bedfordshire says it has seen some of the largest decrease in crime rates in England and Wales, with an overall reduction of 12.5 per cent.

However, the force said it could not break those figures down into areas in the county.