Reduction in crime is ‘a real positive’

At last week’s meeting of the Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), Chief Inspector Stephen Reid said the latest statistics were welcome and other police districts across the province would be “envious” of the results.

In the past 12 months, compared to the previous year, overall total reported crime decreased by 10 per cent, meaning there were 374 fewer victims. And according to the figures, burglary was down by 25 per cent, with 130 less victims.

Detection rates were up by just over one per cent, taking overall detection to 23.5 per cent.

This coincided with three arrests in Ballyclare on Wednesday, March 27 in connection with burglary and arson.

Chief Inspector Reid told those attending the meeting: “This is a real positive for the area. It’s a credit to the hard work of the officers and the help of the public which have made this success possible.

“And I have no doubt that other areas would be very envious of these statistics.”

He added: “But I would make an appeal to the public. It is not without their assistance that we have had such good results over the past number of months.

“There is only so much the police can do and we rely on the public for information and I would urge people to continue to provide information to us.

“Any information is valuable information. While it may not lead directly to an arrest it will help build a solid picture of evidence to bring about an eventual arrest.”