POLICE claim they have hit all their targets for reducing crime and increasing the number of detections in Wyre Forest.

The targets, for offences ranging from violent crime to domestic burglaries, are set by the Home Office.

In West Mercia Constabulary's North Worcestershire division, which includes Wyre Forest, there were 9,169 recorded crimes during 2004-05. The total was 1,036 fewer than the target figure of 10,205.

Of those crimes, 27.8 per cent were detected, compared to the target of 25.3 per cent and above the national average of 19 per cent.

For violent crime, the detection rate was 63.1 per cent while, for racial crime, it was 64.7 per cent.

Vehicle crime was down 17 per cent on the previous year, violent crime was likewise down, by 16 per cent, and domestic burglaries fell by 11 per cent.

Inspector Paul Crowley said: "We are very pleased to have exceeded all our targets after a great deal of hard work.

"Wyre Forest remains a very safe place to live, work and visit, with offences such as burglary well below the national average."