ESSEX Police are celebrating figures showing a drop in crime levels.

Between April 2007 and April 2008, the total number of offences in the county, ranging from theft to murder, dropped by just over 6 per cent.

Robberies fell by nearly 15 per cent, incidents of anti-social behaviour by nearly 14 per cent and five organised crime rings were smashed.

The proportion of crimes solved has increased by nearly three per cent to 33 per cent.

Essex Police chief constable Roger Baker said: We want to further reduce crime and the fear of crime and bring more offenders to justice so that, by further improving on our performance, Essex remains one of the safest counties in the country."

John Baron, MP for Billericay, said: "I welcome some of the improvements that are taking place but I still believe the police's job is made harder by the fact that we have a government and criminal justice system that is soft on crime."

Police also claimed other successes, including the introduction of 24-hour non-emergency phone number and the opening of several police stations - including Billericay, Wickford and Laindon - seven days a week.

Mr Baron added: "I wouldn't shout too loudly about that. Police stations should be open seven days a week because criminals work seven days a week."

  • Drug dealers and terrorist are top of the list of targets for Essex Police over the next year.

Combating terrorists and bringing more drug dealers before the courts topped the list of aims, as well as raising crimes solved to 40 per cent.

Officers are also being pushed to cut anti-social behaviour by five per cent.