PSNI pledge on thefts

The assurance comes after the latest crime statistics were posted by the police service.

Almost 400 Craigavon homes were the target of burglars in the last year, an increase on the previous year.

For the past financial year overall clearance rates have gone up to just over 25 per cent, a rise of three per cent compared to the previous year.

In the Craigavon area recorded crime has increased by around one per cent to 5,822 reports with 1,463 detected.

Over 109,000 crimes were recorded by the police in the year throughout the province with around a quarter detected.

Burglary has fallen in the area by 2.3 per cent and theft of motor vehicles has fallen by 17 per cent (24 crimes), compared with the previous financial year.

The police said neighbourhood officers were working continuously with the community to combat the increase in crime.

Area Commander, Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said: "While there has been a slight increase in overall crime in Craigavon these statistics also demonstrate how real progress has been made in specific areas."

Burglaries, overall have decreased. There were 636 recorded compared to 651 in the previous year.

However, the number of homes burgled in the past year has increased by seven per cent. Almost 400 homes were broken into in the past year a rise of 7.8 per cent from 370 to 399. In total 63 burglaries were detected, 28 of them domestic burglaries.

"Burglary has been an area of real concern in the Craigavon District and the decrease is good news." Continued Mr Murphy, "This is still an issue that we are concentrating on tackling and reducing further as the increase in domestic burglary shows there is still work to be done.

"This increase can be connected to a number of prolific offenders operating in the area near the start of the year. Offenders were proactively targeted by neighbourhood officers and CID and a number of people were brought before the courts during the last 12 months."

He went on: "Neighbourhood policing teams have also taken steps to increase awareness of crime prevention measures with aids such as door chains and alarms distributed to residents in Lurgan.

"A rise in robbery and theft are troubling figures and residents in Craigavon should rest assured that these are key priorities for police and that we are committed to working with them to address these crimes.

"Local officers work in partnership with the local business community as part of the licensees forum. Police, working with the Community Safety Partnership, have recently brought a local shopping centre into the Radiolink project to help tackle shoplifting and thefts.

"High visibility patrolling also plays a large part in preventing and detecting crime."

Chief Inspector Murphy continued: "The good news for everyone in Craigavon is that detection rates for this area have increased.

"As always we are asking the community to support us and help us fight crime by sharing any information about crime in their local area."

The figures, available on the police website, also include statistics for deaths on local roads, hate crimes recorded and drug seizures.