A SENIOR Kent police officer has insisted that burglaries in his area are a low risk crime - despite being a victim of burglary himself earlier this week.

Supt Peter West, area commander for the Weald which covers Ashford, Tenterden and parts of Romney Marsh, had to leave a public meeting in Tenterden on Monday evening, following a call from his wife to say that their home had been broken into.

Supt West said: "My first instinct was concern for my family, followed by my professional instinct of wanting to catch whoever was responsible. I am no different from any other victim of crime in that I want to see justice done."

The break-in, which Mr West described as a case of "get in quick, fill your pockets and get out quick", resulted in the theft of jewellery and other small personal items.

"I have been a victim of crime before, though not burglary," he added. "My wife rang me after she returned home and discovered what had happened. Of course, you have a sense of violation and you think, 'What if I had done this or that'. I have since taken further security steps to protect my house.

"Police attended and I must say that it wasn't a case of special treatment. I received the service that anybody else would have received and it was first class."

Despite the incident, Mr West insists that burglary is becoming less prominent.

He said: "Burglaries are low in the area and this is reflected across Kent. Of course, there is no such thing as a burglary-free society, but statistics show that for 2003/04 burglaries are down 34 per cent compared with 2000/01. There is less chance of becoming a victim of burglary than there was two years ago and even six or seven years ago. It is results like these that have placed Kent among the top five forces in the country."

He added: "Having served as a police officer for a number of years, I do understand victims' frustrations and I am very mindful of the security messages that need to be taken to protect property."