CRIME has fallen again in Gwent according to the latest statistics published today.

A total of 34,153 crimes were recorded in the force area in the year to March 2013, a fall of 11 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Gwent Police did not have the largest fall in England and Wales, as the force did in 2012, but did have the largest joint fall the principality, alongside North Wales.

Double digit percentage falls were seen in theft offences, fraud, criminal damage and arson, and drug offences.

However rises were recorded in offences covering violence against the person, violence without injury and robbery.

There were 13 per cent fewer victims of theft, falling to 16,664 incidents, with the number of burglaries falling by nine per cent to 4,807.

Criminal damage and arson fell by 16 per cent to 6,301 incidents, while drug offences fell by 15 per cent to 2,388.

The number of burglary incidents according to the figures fell by nine per cent to 4,807.

However robbery rose by 32 per cent to 166 incidents, and the number of recorded violence against the person crimes rose by seven per cent to 5,833 incidents.

Sexual offences fell by eight per cent to 513 crimes.

Meanwhile the number of fraud incidents fell by 57 per cent, to 372 incidents.

The news comes after police and crime commissioner Ian Johnston told a committee of MPs he expects to see the area's recorded crime rise in the next 12-18 months.

He had told the Argus in May he was concerned officers officers were not classifying incidents correctly and consequently, recorded crime statistics did not give a true picture of what was happening on the streets.

He said it was down to the interpretation of incidents and "police have a large degree of control over what becomes a crime and which incidents are recorded as a crime."

The interview led to a row with Carmel Napier, the former chief constable, who Mr Johnston forced to retire in June.

However the period covered by the statistics comes before Mr Johnston spoke out to the Argus about the issue.