A police division has recorded some of its best ever crime-busting figures in the past year.

Highdown division, which covers Worthing, Lancing, Littlehampton and Arundel, exceeded seven out of ten targets set for reducing and detecting crime.

The successes made it one of the most successful large police divisions in Sussex last year.

Total crime in the Highdown area, in the year to March 2002, rose by 0.1 per cent but burglaries fell by more than ten per cent and car crime fell by 11.5 per cent.

The division recorded 17,934 incidents during the year, which included 962 burglaries and 2,667 car-related crimes.

Superintendent Graham Walter, divisional commander, put their success down to the "commitment, energy and sheer determination" of police officers and working with the community to tackle crime.

He said the figures showed crime was levelling out and national fears about an increase in street crime did not apply to the Highdown area.

Police were also working hard to stamp out cases of minor damage and nuisance, which affected people's quality of life, he said.

Particular successes during the past year have been Project Genie in Worthing which tackled graffiti and Operation Crackdown in Littlehampton which helped remove more than 800 abandoned vehicles.