CRIME figures just released show Essex remains one of the safest counties in the country. Statistics published by the Home Office show that just 77 crimes per 1000 population were recorded between March 2006 and March 2007, much lower than Hertfordshire,

CRIME figures just released show Essex remains one of the safest counties in the country.

Statistics published by the Home Office show that just 77 crimes per 1000 population were recorded between March 2006 and March 2007, much lower than Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Although Uttlesford remains the least crime-infected district in Essex, crime rates in some areas rose on the previous year's figures. Regardless of the rise, they remain very low overall.

Total recorded crime in the district was up four per cent on the previous year, from 1638 to 1697 incidents.

Uttlesford was one of the only two districts in Essex in which recorded crime rates rose but despite this, there were less crimes recorded in Uttlesford - both in absolute terms and per 1000 population - than any other district in the county.

Carmel Napier, assistant chief constable of territorial policing, said: "The introduction of neighbourhood policing teams and neighbourhood action panels has given us a closer working partnership with the community and is giving us results."

She said the county's commitment to improve the quality of life for people in Essex had seen a marked reduction in recorded crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder.

The force continues to raise its performance in detecting crime.

"We acknowledge that even a good performance can be improved upon and we remain committed to make further inroads into crime on behalf of the people we serve," she said.

Violent crime in the county is down four per cent on last year; burglary is down six per cent; vehicle offences are down eight per cent; other theft offences are down nine per cent and criminal damage is down two per cent.

Essex is the only county in the region that has seen crime figures drop in all of these categories.

Low figures across the East of England meant it was the region with the least recorded crime in the whole of the country, with a total of 83 recorded crimes per 1000 population.

The worst region in England for crime is London, with a total of 124 recorded crimes per 1000 population.

Essex was not at all far off being the best county in the country for recorded crime rates but West Mercia in the West Midlands, with just 69 recorded crimes per 1000 population, is the least crime-affected area in England.