By Hayley Robinson

A rise in the number of burglaries, drug offences and the most serious sexual assaults in the Mid Kent area is concerning police.

While the latest crime statistics for the area, including Faversham show overall crime dropped by 6.9 per cent in the last year, police chiefs say there is no room for complacency and they will target the areas where it has risen.

The figures for the year July 2009 to June 2010 show the total number of recorded crimes for Mid Kent was 19,093 compared to 20,504 in the previous year.

But the latest Home Office statistics also reveal rises in house burglaries (from 763 to 940), drug offences (from 731 to 814), serious sexual offences (up by 18 to 172) and gun crime (from eight to 12).

However, robbery fell by 12.3 per cent, down from 138 to 121. Down too was violent crime, falling by 10.7 per cent from 4,187 offences to 3,738.

Falls were also recorded in criminal damage (down from 4,578 to 3,759), vehicle crime (down from 2,623 to 2,121), and theft from the person offences (down by 30.9 per cent from 152 crimes to 105).

While the number of bicycles stolen also dropped - from 320 to 308 - the total number of other theft offences rose by 208, from 4,814 to 5,022.

Also reduced were fraud and forgery offices (from 658 to 643) and knife crime where there were 53 recorded crimes involving a knife or sharp instrument compared to 66 in the previous 12 months.

Thirty-four of those were for actual or grievous bodily harm and 17 for robbery.

Area commander Ch Supt Matthew Nix said: "We are pleased with these figures although there is no room for complacency and we continue to work around the clock to reduce criminality in Mid Kent."

But he admitted the rise in burglary, theft and drugs offences was "a concern".

He said: "We are tackling this head-on.

Swale is currently the focus of one of the largest police operations in Kent for two years and over the past three weeks more than 40 people have been arrested and charged with Class A drug, theft and handling offences.

"The good work doesn't stop there and more arrests are planned over the coming weeks."

Mr Nix said that although most serious sexual offences had increased, it was indicative of victims' growing confidence in the police to investigate and bring offenders to justice.

He added: "The increase in theft offences has been seen almost force-wide as the price of metal increases.

"Violent crime, robbery, criminal damage and vehicle crime have all fallen, which is testament to the hard work and dedication shown by officers across the area."

"It is vitally important that we have the best rail services possible. Kent County Council has taken an important step in taking the lead with its Rail Action Plan, I will be looking for that document to really spell out the case for Swale's rail users to the Secretary of State as he sets about preparing the next generation of rail franchises."

Cllr Nick Chard, who chaired the meeting, promised a further summit in April 2011.