SUFFOLK'S police force is among the best in the country according to the latest Home Office figures for crime rates.The police performance figures, released yesterday, show that Suffolk is one of just four forces in the country to be performing above the average in five key areas.

SUFFOLK'S police force is among the best in the country according to the latest Home Office figures for crime rates.

The police performance figures, released yesterday, show that Suffolk is one of just four forces in the country to be performing above the average in five key areas.

The indicators, demonstrated in a complex diagram known as a 'spidergram', are reducing crime, investigating crime, resource usage, citizen focus and promoting public safety.

Compared to numbers from 2001/2002, there was a 7% reduction in burglaries, a 9% fall in vehicle crimes and a 14% drop in robberies in the year 2002/2003.

Meanwhile, the percentage of crimes detected jumped by 2%, as did the percentage of offences brought to justice.

The only other forces in the country to record such impressive figures were Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall and Northumbria.

Suffolk's Chief Constable Alastair McWhirter welcomed the figures last night but warned of complacency.

He said: "These indicators show that Suffolk remains a safe place – and also reflect the efforts being made by the police, in partnership with the local community, to make the county the safest in the country.

"Figures from last year showed that Suffolk has some of the lowest rates of crime in the country, coupled with a good detection rate.

"But successful policing is not just about reducing levels of crime – it is also about making people feel safe within their communities.

"That is why I am particularly encouraged with the indicators connected with promoting public safety, which show that people in Suffolk are feeling safer too.

"Residents are less worried about crime such as burglary, and fewer are concerned about levels of disorder than they were the year before."

Mr McWhirter added: "We cannot afford to be complacent. Our latest figures indicate a rise in crime in the county - underlining the challenge we face.

"It is also important to note that these indicators do not tell the full story. Police work today embraces a wide range of activity which are not represented in this data."