VIOLENT crime in Redditch has fallen dramatically, despite latest Home Office figures showing a national rise of seven per cent.

The number of violent incidents in the town per 1,000 people from April-June this year fell from 7.98 to 5.58 compared with the same period in 2004, police crime performance statistics revealed.

The figures, displaying crime figures in the first quarter of the police year, were released on Thursday.

Violent crime nationally topped the million mark between 2004-5, with police recording seven per cent more crimes than in the previous year. In April the Advertiser reported violent crime in Redditch was more than two-thirds higher than the national average in 2003/04, according to Home Office figures. The statistics revealed the number of violent incidents in the town during that period was about 70 per cent higher than the national average.

Redditch police Insp Gareth Prosser said the town's recent success could be largely due to Operation Capital, aimed at increasing police visibility in the town centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

He added: "We've increased police patrols in the town centre and re-directed resources to make Redditch a safer place for people to enjoy themselves. The feedback I've received has been very positive - increased police visibility means people are happier to come into the town centre during the evenings and at weekends."

Latest statistics for April-June also showed vehicle crime had fallen from 3.67 per 1,000 in 2004 to 2.25 in 2005 and more vehicle crimes were detected in 2005 than in the previous year. Domestic burglaries fell from 4.01 per 1,000 people in 2004 to 2.66 in 2005.