By KUNA
London : Recorded crime in England and Wales fell by nine percent from July to September last year compared with the same period in the previous year, official figures showed Thursday.
The British Home Office said there was a four percent rise in gun crime during the third quarter of 2007 compared with the same period in 2006.
There were 10,182 firearms offences in the year to September, compared with 9,755 in the previous year.
The number of recorded drug offences rose by 21 percent in the 2007 third quarter.
The quarterly statistics reported that violence against the person fell by eight percent and robbery by 17 percent.
The figures also showed that during the 12 months to last September there were six fewer gun-related deaths and that serious injuries from guns had dropped by 16 percent to 368.
But the four percent overall rise in gun crime was made up of a four percent rise in slight injuries to 2,728, and a six percent rise in threats and incidents that did not result in injury.
Britain’s Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said in a statement, “These latest crime figures contain some excellent results and I am particularly pleased that the risk of being a victim of crime is now at a historically low level.
“Enforcement is a key part of our approach to tackling drug harm and I welcome further evidence that police are maintaining a tight grip on drugs offending.
“In 2008 we will tighten our grip on violence and anti-social behaviour, working with police and local partners,” the Home Secretary added.