HOUSE burglaries on Tees-side fell by more than 40 per cent last month with break-ins at other properties down by almost 20 per cent.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Sean Price said: "The message to our communities is simple. We and our partners are determined to make life better for the law-abiding citizens and keep criminals on the back foot."
Home Office experts had predicted that new counting rules would lead to an rise in the number of offences recorded.
Incidents of violence, indecency and criminal damage have increased, with criminal damage accounting for almost 25 per cent of offences in the Cleveland Police area.
Across the force's four districts - Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Langbaurgh - there were falls in car theft and stealing from motor vehicles but there was a rise in the number of incidents of violence and indecency.
The number of robberies also rose slightly, except in Middlesbrough, where they fell by more than 16 per cent.
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