CRIME levels in Comet country have dropped significantly, with some types of offences seeing annual decreases of up to 40 per cent.

From April to the end of July this year, there were 17.4 per cent less reported incidents of all crimes in North Herts compared to the same period the year before.

Violent crime was down 11.1 per cent, anti-social behaviour was down 22 per cent, and motor vehicle crime was down four per cent.

There were increases in the number of robberies – up by 13.3 per cent – and dwelling burglary – up by 15 per cent.

Other types of burglary were down by 24 per cent.

North Herts Neighbourhood Inspector Martin Turpin told the Comet that he thought people in the area felt safer.

He added: “It’s through the increase of hard work, visible policing and continued effort.

“We have had a decrease now for the last four or five years. The fact that it continues to decrease year after year is good.

“It shows the hard work being put in, and the effort that’s being put in to make North Herts a safer place.”

Crime in Stevenage has also dropped over the same period of time.

Overall, there has been a decrease of 13.6 per cent offence, with dwelling burglary down by 39.2 per cent and other types of burglary down by 34.7 per cent.

Violent crime has dropped slightly by 4.4 per cent, robbery is down by a third and motor vehicle crime is down by a quarter.

Anti-social behaviour also dropped by 28.6 per cent.

Stevenage Neighbourhood Inspector Simon Tabert hailed communication between departments as one the keys to the success.

“We target prolific offenders and manage them once they have been caught to prevent them from committing crime again,” he said.

“We focus on priority crime and look at crime in every part of Herts. Around the county but particularly in Stevenage, the various departments are very well integrated.

“We’ve has some good results on three Stevenage burglaries this year alone.”

He added: “Last year, we had a detection rate of 40 per cent and this year we’re sitting on about 48 per cent. That’s one in two crimes – it’s massive.”