Crime in Cheshire has fallen by four percent, according to new figures.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show there were 2,547 fewer offences in 2012/13 compared to the previous year.

There were falls in the number of robberies, down 12 percent to 321, theft, by five percent to 28,245, criminal damage and arson, down by 11pc to 9,826, and burglary, by 11pc to 6,794.

But there were rises in the number of sexual offences, up four percent to 809, and violence against the person, an increase of nine percent to 10,825. More worrying is the number of crimes going unsolved in the county.

Between 2012/13 only 24 percent of all 55,785 offences resulted in someone being caught and punished.

The figure is the worst rate in the North West region by seven percent, and the fifth lowest rate in the country.

It has also fallen by five percent in the last five years.

Cheshire crime tsar John Dwyer said he is demanding more is done to improve detection rates, but overall he was delighted with the figures.

The Police and Crime Commissioner said: “I was delighted to see that the figures again show Cheshire is a safer place to live with a reduction of four percent in all recorded crime since last year.

“I have stated previously that I want the Constabulary to do more to detect crime and I have been working with criminal justice partners to ensure that more offenders are brought to justice.”

There was a rise in violence without injury up 36 percent to 5,975.

The number of murders was five, in line with 2011/12 figures, shoplifting was up five percent to 6,249, bike theft up 4pc to 1,711 and vehicle offences up four percent to 5,641.