CRIME has fallen to its lowest level across Hull and the East Riding, despite massive cuts to police budgets.
The overall number of offences has dropped by 14 per cent in the East Riding and 10.3 per cent in Hull in the past year.
Shed and garage burglaries are the only crime to have increased in Hull, while there has been a slight rise in house burglary in the East Riding.
More than 200 police officers have left since it was announced three years ago the force would have to cut £30m before 2015.
However, crime has continued to fall across the region.
Chief Superintendent Rick Proctor, head of policing in Hull, said: "We are part of the way through a process of making significant savings to our budgets and have to make more in the near future.
"Despite the challenges we face, I am absolutely confident we will continue to reduce crime.
"Whether that will be to the same levels we are doing, we don't know, but I am not complacent."
The latest figures show there were 24,748 offences in Hull between April last year and March this year, compared with 27,590 for the same period the previous year.
In the East Riding, the number of crimes has fallen from 16,318 to 14,027.
Chief Supt Proctor said the rise in non-dwelling burglaries in Hull – primarily domestic sheds and garages – is due to a focus on tackling house burglary, which has fallen by 20.3 per cent.
"We have had an intensive focus on house burglary, which tends to displace some offenders," he said.
"Shed and garage burglary may be a more attractive option for those committing acquisitive crime as it often attracts a lesser sentence in the courts.
"Between police and our partners, we will continue to focus on this to try to reduce the numbers."
Chief Supt Proctor praised the efforts of officers and staff, as well as special constables and volunteers.
Detection rates in Hull also remain high, at 33.4 per cent – above the national average.
"Overall, I am really proud of what we have achieved," said Chief Supt Proctor.
"I am delighted with these results and we are absolutely determined to continue with this journey of improvement.
"The important thing is that means there have been 2,482 fewer victims of crime this year."
The newly appointed divisional commander for the East Riding, Chief Supt Judi Heaton, said the public can help reduce crime even further.
"We are seeing crime at a low, which is fantastic," she said.
"I hope to maintain that and reduce it even further, but there is a limit to how far that can go."
Almost half of all house burglaries in the county are as a result of "insecurities" – usually doors and windows that have been left unlocked or open.
"With the public's help, we can get crime down further," she said.
"It is really disappointing to see that, if we have two burglaries overnight, one of them has been a case of someone leaving a door insecure.
"We have very few burglaries, just one or two a day, but if people help themselves, we could halve that.
"I would rather people didn't have to call us and go through all the upset and hassle a burglary creates if they don't have to."
The results have been welcomed by Humberside police and crime commissioner Matthew Grove.
He said: "This is very positive, but it is not a reason for complacency. We have to re-double our efforts to continue this trend to make sure there is even less crime and fewer victims."
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