THERE have been nearly 3,300 few victims of crime in Wiltshire in the last year according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

The ONS released the latest national crime figures today which show that crime in Wiltshire has dropped by 7 per cent.

The current crime rate within Wiltshire is the seventh lowest in England. The statistics cover the period June 2012 to June 2013 in comparison to the same period the year before.

In addition, Wiltshire Police have seen a substantial reduction of 46.5 per cent in robbery, which is the largest reduction seen nationally. The Force is also third nationally for having the lowest dwelling burglary rates.

Local initiatives continued throughout the summer, to raise awareness of vehicle crime, which has also seen a reduction of 16 per cent. This is the fourth largest rate of reduction in England and compares to a national reduction of 5.4 per cent. Police continue to help the public keep their personal belongings and vehicles safe.

There has been also been 2.3 per cent reduction in violence against the person, where the victim has sustained an injury. Wiltshire Police remain committed to tackling night time economy issues and encouraging victims of domestic violence to come forward to enable the police to continue to understand and reduce violence within the county.

Chief Constable Patrick Geenty said: "These statistics illustrate that the hard work of my police officers and staff is effective. However, we could not achieve these reductions without the assistance of the public. I continue to encourage the communities of Wiltshire to keep talking, to me and the Commissioner, about the issues they care about.

"Moving forward, I hope to see further reductions influenced by our proactive days of action under Operation Harness.

"I am committed to a way of working that listens to what is important to the communities that live and work in Wiltshire. Working together with the public, we can continue to see these reductions in crime and protect the quality of life for everyone in this beautiful county."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Angus Macpherson, welcomed the figures.

“Fewer victims of crime is something for the county and Swindon to be proud of. Three thousand fewer victims is something to celebrate," he said.

“The Chief Constable and the Constabulary are fully signed up to my number one priority - cutting crime. They are working hard, the community is right behind them and the results are encouraging. My job is to ensure that we stay on track.

“I face a difficult decision about the police part of the council tax for next year. We have coped with budget cuts so far, but more are on the way.

“I will consider the community view very closely. My impression is that the over-riding priority will be to make sure the Constabulary has the resources it needs to do the job.”