GOOD NEWS ON CRIME FIGURES

The Area Commander has welcomed a fall with a total of 151 fewer incidents from this time last year - according to recent annual crime statistics.

The 2012/13 financial year saw the number of the most serious sexual offences drop by 22% while ‘offences against the person with injury’ were down by 7.4%.

Chief Inspector Darrin Jones said: “I am delighted that levels of overall crime in the Lisburn area are down and I am especially glad to see that we have managed to significantly reduce the number of sexual and violent offences.”

“It is important to us that local people feel safe in their own environment and so these are areas we have worked particularly hard to address and it is one on which we will continue to focus and further reduce,” said Mr Jones.

“We have also recorded a huge reduction in domestic burglary in the past financial year with 125 fewer break-ins, that’s a fall of almost 25%.

“This is an extremely positive stride forward as we know that burglary is an issue that strikes at the very heart of communities and families.

“I am also pleased to see that criminal damage offences are down by 8.9%. Criminal damage and associated issues have real quality of life implications for people and it is with the ongoing support of local communities that we have been able to put measures in place in a number of areas to tackle it.

“Overall crime across Northern Ireland is at a record 15 year low and we in Lisburn want to see that trend continue locally.

“Over the next 12 months we will continue work to reduce crime rates even further and to increase community confidence in the quality of service we provide by delivering the kind of professional, dedicated policing the people of Lisburn have come to expect.”