Operations targeting youth disorder, under-age drinkers and drug dealers have made a County Durham town a safer place to live, according to police.
Crime statistics for the Chester-le-Street area revealed 294 reported offences in October, 32% down on the total for October 2006.
Violent crime accounted for 49 incidents – a drop of one-fifth. Only four cases remained unsolved.
The fall is being put down to a number of initiatives.
Insp Paul Anderson described the figures as excellent news which reflected a great deal of hard work by police and staff from other agencies.
He said: “We have staged a series of operations in the last few months, such as an initiative to tackle criminal damage in the Chester West area of the town which led to 32% fewer incidents being reported.
“In Pelton we tackled anti-social behaviour and low level crime with Operation Middletown, which resulted in the number of offences being cut by half.
“And a test purchase operation carried out throughout the district of Chester-le-Street targeted premises selling alcohol to those who were under 18.”
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