by Rhona Jamieson

Kent is statistically a safer place to live, according to the latest crime figures.

The latest stats show overall crime between July and September 2009 fell by nearly one fifth (19.1 per cent) when compared to the same period in 2008 - a drop of 6,099 reported incidents.

The Home Office has also started releasing rolling year-on-year figures which compare 12 month periods and again these show a reduction in crime, this time by 11.9 percent.

The biggest falls have been in criminal damage, which has dropped by 25.4 per cent and fraud and forgery which has been reduced by 28.2 per cent.

Audio: Assistant chief constable Gary Beautridge on the falling crime levels

However, drug offences have gone up by 9.6 per cent in the new rolling year-on-year figures, a rise of 349 offences.

Kent Police’s assistant chief constable Gary Beautridge said: “We have continued to see a rise in drug offences which shows we are taking this type of crime seriously by executing search warrants and bringing offenders to justice.”

Also released today are the results of the British Crime Survey, which asks residents about their views on criminal behaviour.

It shows that for the rolling year public confidence in the police and local council in dealing with anti-social behaviour issues has increased from 44.2 to 48 per cent.