BURGLARY, robbery and violent crime have plummeted despite budget cuts to police forces across the region, The Journal can reveal.

Crime figures have fallen across the North East in the past 12 months as police chiefs from Northumbria and Durham battle widespread Government cuts.

Rates of crime in the Northumbria Police area, which includes Tyne and Wear and Northumberland, is down by more than 8%, when compared with last year, and in County Durham and Darlington there has been a 9% drop.

Both forces have recorded a drop in violent crime, drug offences, burglary and criminal damage.

Durham has seen a rise in sexual offences, although police chiefs have claimed this is due to an increase in victims’ confidence leading to more incidents being reported. Northumbria has seen a slight rise in drugs-related offences.

Durham’s Chief Constable Jon Stoddart said the success had been achieved despite funding cuts, a freeze on police officer recruitment and a number of police staff redundancies.

He said: “We anticipated the financial difficulties and because our crime and disorder is falling our frontline officers and staff are more productive than ever.

“By going ahead with a force re-structure which will enable us to do more with less, we are in a good position to continue to maintain or improve our performance.”