MORE than 34,000 crimes were committed in Gwent between April and December, down 10 per cent, according to a Gwent Police Authority report.

Figures in a performance report, due to be discussed by Gwent Police Authority this week, show a total of 34,668 crimes were committed between April 1 and December 31 last year, down 4,054 offences (10.4 per cent) from the same period in 2009 when 38,722 offences were committed.

The report states that out of the 34,668 crimes committed, 10,364 offences (29.9 per cent) were detected.

Other theft and handling offences is the force's highest volume crime, with a total of 7,804 offences.

The number of dwelling burglaries committed between April and December fell from 2,360 in 2009, to 2,276 in 2010, a decrease of 84 incidents (3.5 per cent).

The report states that integrated offender management processes are in place for each of the local policing units, allowing police, probation, the Drug Intervention Programme, and other partners to work closely together to manage the behaviour of "the most problematic offenders."

Anti-social behaviour incidents decreased by 6,440 incidents (13.1 per cent), from 49,029 in April/December 2009 to 42,589 last year.

The report author concludes: "The level of 'all crime' has shown a significant decrease in volume by 10 per cent and this decrease can be attributed not only to the adverse weather experienced, but to concentrated police attention in reducing the higher volume crimes such as other theft and handlingg criminal damage, burglary non-dwelling and vehicle crime."

The report will be discussed by members of Gwent Police Authority at a full meeting on Thursday.

Figures published by the Home Office last week showed that a total of 48,504 crimes were committed in Gwent between September 2009 and September 2010, down 2553 incidents (five per cent) from 51,057 between September 2009 and September 2008.