Police are pledging to cut crime by ten per cent in four years after new figures showed the rise in offending had been halted.

Latest statistics show significant reductions in burglary and vehicle crime in Sussex and police chiefs are aiming for more.

Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse said: "The figures in our priority crime areas, burglary, violent crime and vehicle crime, have been improving steadily over recent months, despite an unprecedented number of major inquiries which have inevitably taken staff away from tackling our published priorities.

"We cannot guarantee that the next 12 months will be any easier and our targets for the coming year are equally challenging but, with the focus squarely on reducing crime, I believe we are well placed to build from here."

Total reported crimes in Sussex stood at 136,920 in 2000/01, an increase of just 366, or one quarter of one per cent, on 1999/2000. This compares with a five per cent rise in the previous year.

Mr Whitehouse said the new Sussex figures were expected to be better than those of neighbouring forces, and he was especially pleased with big cuts in crime recorded in Brighton.

Burglary of people's homes decreased by 11.4 per cent, which means there were almost 1,100 fewer burglary victims in Sussex, and vehicle crime was down by 5.4 per cent.

Reported crimes of violence showed an increase of 2.9 per cent, but, Mr Whitehouse said, the force was actively encouraging victims of domestic violence and hate crime such as stalking, racist and homophobic crime, to make contact, and so no crime reduction targets were being set in these priority areas.

One in four reported violent crimes in Sussex come into the category of domestic violence.

Sussex Police Authority Chairman Margaret Johnson said: "The authority welcomes the considerable progress that has been made in the past year.

"Clearly there are some areas where the public will want to see steady improvement. We will continue to closely monitor performance to ensure that the targets set for 2001/02 are achieved."