by Martin Jefferies

Overall crime in East Kent fell by more than a fifth last summer, with fewer sexual offences and robberies and less violence compared to the previous year.

The latest statistics from the Home Office show that 4,493 crimes were recorded in the Thanet and Canterbury districts between July and September 2009 - down 21.3 per cent on the same period in 2008.

There were 322 fewer instances of violent crime - a category which includes sexual offences, robbery and violence with or without injury - while criminal damage fell by almost a third.

Burglary of homes and other premises such as workplaces fell from 643 crimes in 2008 to 940 last year, while car crime and fraud or forgery also reduced.

Supt Stuart Kehily (pictured left), the deputy area commander for police in East Kent, said: "This sizeable decrease in recorded crime reflects what our officers and staff are doing to improve life for local communities.

"We're never complacent, however, as there are always areas where we can do better."

Supt Kehily said work was already under way to reduce the theft of bicycles and the number of drugs offences. Both categories showed a year-on-year rise of 17.8 per cent and 12.6 per cent respectively.