80% fall in drug trafficking

Statistics show that overall crime fell by 1.5% in the District compared with 2008/09 - 180 fewer incidents.

In the Ballymoney area of H District, this trend continued, with a fall in overall crime of 5.1% (58 fewer crimes) in 2009/10 compared with the previous financial year. There has also been a 17.4% drop in sexual offences, a 27.2% drop in burglary, a 42.9% drop in robbery, an 80% fall in drug trafficking offences and a 1.5% drop in violent crime in the Ballymoney area, although there was a 4.3% rise in theft and a 0.7% rise in offences against the person.

Overall clearance rates are 26.5% in the District (up 2.9% from the previous year) and 19.1% in the Ballymoney Area – an improvement of 2.4%.

Area Commander, Chief Inspector John Magill said the rise in clearance rates reflected police's commitment to bringing more people before the courts.

Speaking about the latest figures, Chief Inspector Magill said: "There has been a substantial drop in the types of crime which are of particular concern to the people of Ballymoney, such as burglary, sexual offences and robbery. While this is great news for us and the people of Ballymoney, we fully understand the concerns around crime and the fear of crime and are committed to working in partnership with the community to continue to make a real difference.

"Police officers in Ballymoney will continue to patrol crime hotspots and to target those we know are involved in crime. The continued support of the community across Ballymoney Borough is essential and I would urge members of the community who see suspicious activity to contact police on 0845 600 8000 or in an emergency dial 999. Information can also be passed anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

The Commander of H District, Chief Superintendent Nigel Goddard, continued: "I welcome the news that crime has fallen in H District. It shows that the Police Service, working with partner agencies and the community, is making the District safer for everyone who lives, works and socialises here.

"I am equally pleased that clearance rates across H District in general have improved. Bringing more people to justice is one of our key priorities."

The District Commander continued: "Police, along with the community, want to see crime reduced in H District, and the latest figures reflect our commitment to achieving this. Across H District, there has been a drop in overall crime in the year 2009/10. It is also worth noting that offences against the person are down 2.9%, total violent crime is down 4.4%, sexual offences are down 15.3%, criminal damage is down 4.7%, fraud and forgery is down 25.2% and robbery is down 35.1%. Theft increased by 4.2% and drug trafficking offences were up by 12.2%.

"Overall clearance rates have also increased by 2.9% (288 more crimes detected). Although these figures are extremely positive, we cannot afford to be complacent. My officers and I will be making sure that we continue our efforts to make H District safer."

Chief Superintendent Goddard also paid tribute to the work of the District Policing Partnerships, politicians, councils and community representatives in H District, who have played a key role in helping police address key priorities.

He said: "The figures for this District are very positive, and I hope that they will reassure the community that Police are tackling criminality. However, it is essential that the community continues to support our work as we seek to make our neighbourhoods safer. The more support we get from the community, the more we can do."