SECURITY cameras covering Darlington town centre are on target to cut car park crime for the seventh year running.
Figures for last year show that, to the end of October, there were only 23 incidents, compared with 26 in the same period of 2000.
A total of 40 closed-circuit television cameras provide 24-hour coverage of the town centre car parks, with pictures relayed to a control room at Darlington Town Hall.
The system was installed in 1994 at a cost of £750,000 when 374 incidents were recorded.
Since then, the figures have fallen dramatically.
Councillor Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "There is no doubt the cameras are a major deterrent to car thieves.
"Credit must go to the CCTV control room staff, whose vigilance has helped to reduce the number of crimes and keep the numbers low.
"Darlington town centre car parks continue to be among the safest car parks in the North of England, and this has to be a boost for shoppers and town centre businesses."
More than 2,500 criminals have been arrested with the help of the CCTV system since its installation.
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