THE chairman of Cleveland Police Authority warned this week that rising crime and falling detection levels demanded urgent answers and urgent action.

Coun Ken Walker was commenting on new statistics showing that overall crime levels in the Cleveland force area for the last 12 months increased by 3.8pc, while detection levels fell by 2.5pc.

The figures show significant variations between the force's four districts in recent months.

Crime was down in Hartlepool between March and May by 7.8pc, but up by 7.4pc in Langbaurgh, up by 5.3pc in Middlesbrough and up by 4pc in Stockton.

In May alone there was a fall of 15.5pc in Hartlepool, but increases of 18.5pc in Langbaurgh, 14.6pc in Middlesbrough and 16.8pc in Stockton.

Coun Walker, who steps down from the chairmanship shortly, said: "Some months ago the authority drew attention to what we regarded as a worrying trend, indicating that crime figures were starting to rise, and underlined that we expected the chief constable and his management team to take action to get things back on to a downward track.

"Of course, within the figures there are some encouraging elements - for example, the falls recorded in some key categories of crime, such as burglary and robbery - and monthly figures can vary significantly. But the overall longer-term indications remain of great concern."

He added: "I think it is important to underline that the financial problems with which we have been dealing over recent months cannot be seen as a factor in the increases in the crime figures, given that we are looking at a trend which has now been developing over a considerable period and the fact that the chief constable has made clear that the measures he has taken to deal with the financial issues will not affect front-line policing activity.

"Whilst the responsibility for operational policing matters clearly rests with the chief constable and his officers, our role as an authority has to be to represent the very real concerns I believe will be felt by the public over these figures and to seek assurances from the chief constable that action is being taken to reverse the current trend."

Assistant chief constable Adam Briggs said the May figures should not be taken at face value, as problems with the computer system in April resulted in delays in offences being recorded.

He blamed new counting rules for the increase and pointed to a reduction of 900 burglary victims, with 1,200 fewer victims of car crime and 123 fewer victims of robbery.

He said: "The vast majority of this increase was for anti-social behaviour and common assaults; things so minor they would not have been logged in the past. They alone accounted for almost 5,400 extra offences.

"The fact that overall offending rose by just 2,700 offences shows how effective the force has been in combating crime."

He added: "We are on course to continue the fight against crime in Cleveland and there will be no let-up on our part."