POLICE are winning the war against crime in Dewsbury.

The number of `priority crimes' reported in the town has fallen by more than 1,000 over the last 12 months.

And police chiefs believe the fall is due to the approach they are taking.

Their policy of targeted and intelligence-led policing is bringing rewards in terms of reducing both crime and the number of victims.

The year-end crime figures for the division show a fall in burglaries, robberies and vehicle crime.

From April 1, 2003, to March 31 this year robberies have dropped by 20% (42 fewer offences), house burglaries fell 3.5% (a drop of 69), car thefts were down by 26% (446 fewer offences) while thefts from vehicles fell 17% (503 fewer offences), compared to the same period of the previous 12 months.

In total, there were 1,060 fewer recorded priority crimes.

This February saw the lowest monthly figure for house burglaries that the division has had in the last four years.

Also, the number of house burglaries and car thefts for the year was the lowest in the division since 1998. Thefts from vehicles are the lowest for the past three years.

A police spokesman said: "We are building on the reductions we achieved last year.

It is all very encouraging, but I would still like to urge people to come forward and pass on information."