2008/09 has fallen by 6,106 offences, a drop of 4.9 p

CRIME in Lancashire has fallen for the fourth year in a row - but the Chief Constable is warning of tough times ahead for the force because of funding cuts.

According to new figures released today, the number of crimes committed iner cent, compared to the previous year.

Since 2004-05 the overall reduction in the number of reported offences was 34,828, the equivalent of the population of Accrington.

Chief Constable Steve Finnigan said the figures were very pleasing but admitted the force faced challenging times in future years because of a forecasted fall in income.

The police authority has estimated a million pound plus gap in funding for next year, on top of the £3.6million set to be saved in ‘productivity and effic-iency gains’ in 2009/10.

Ch Con Finnigan said: “We know we are going to face budget constraints, and we are working on an efficiency program at the moment.

“2010/11 is undoubtedly going to be tough, and 2011/12 is going to be even tougher, but we plan to make savings in back office functions, and protect front-line policing wherever possible.”

The latest crime figures show violence against the person fell from 25,012 to 23,202, a reduction of 1,810 crimes or 7.2 per cent.

Offences against vehicles, includes aggravated vehicle taking, theft of a vehicle or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle, fell by 718 crimes from 13,293 to 12,575.

Criminal damage fell by 8.2 per cent or 2,645 crimes from 32,284 to 29,639.

There was however a rise in domestic burglary of 2.5 per cent or 127 crimes, up from 4,987 to 5,114. The rise is one of the reasons Operation Julius, a month long campaign against burglaries, has been launched.

Ch Con Finnigan added that Lancashire was consistently in the top ten performing forces for detection rates and these currently stood at 34 per cent.

He said: “Burglary crime is a slight concern for us but we are at a 35-year low for that, and are halfway through a major operation to combat it.

“We want to be the best police force in the UK and we have been up there now for a few years.

“But we won’t be getting complacent and intend to continue reducing crime in Lancashire, to make it an even safer place to live.”