POLICE today welcomed the drop in crime but warned the figures could show an increase in the future because of new ways of recording them.
The British Crime Survey showed the level of crime was 7.8 per cent lower across Lancashire last year than in 1997.
The survey shows burglary was down 13.4 per cent, reported violent crimes dropped by 4.7 per cent, and vehicle crime fell 11.4 per cent.
The county's crime figures mirrored those for the the rest of the country which showed an overall fall of 10 per cent.
Lancashire police's crime support co-ordinator, Detective Chief Superintendent Adrian McAllister, welcomed the news but sounded a note of caution.
He said crime figures will probably rise in future because of the new ethical crime recording policy.
But he added: "There is no suggestion that more crimes will be committed, only that more will be recorded and appropriately actioned."
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