Less than two per cent of thieves who break into cars in Essex were caught at the beginning of the year, a new report reveals.

The figures, to be put before Essex Police Authority today (Monday), show there is less crime but, of those committed, more are going unsolved.

Success in finding house burglars fell from 24.3 per cent to 20.1 per cent, and detecting violent offences dropped from 78.6 per cent to 75.3 per cent.

The number of car thieves caught slumped from 19.4 per cent to 15.7 per cent and detections of people who steal from cars has fallen from 12.1 per cent to 6.4 per cent.

In January this year, it fell to an all-time low of 1.6 per cent.

But money is being pumped into the forensic service to increase the number of vehicles checked for DNA and fingerprints, and initiatives have been launched to target car crime hotspots.

Drug crime is high on the hit list, but since April 2000 the average monthly number of arrests has fallen from 36 to 17.

But the number of car crimes have been forced down from 21,165 to 19,286, and house burglaries have dropped from 6,210 to 5,439.

The force has also speeded up the time it takes to answer both 999 and non-emergency calls.

By Stephen Rawlins

Reporter's e-mail: stephen_rawlins@thisisessex.co.uk

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