The Home Secretary today set Sussex Police tough new targets to slash crime.

Jack Straw has ordered a 37-per-cent cut in burglaries and a 20-per-cent reduction in car offences within five years. There are more than 30 break-ins every day across Sussex and thousands of cars are broken into or stolen.

Sussex Police called the new targets "extremely challenging". How they intend to achieve them has yet to be detailed, especially with car crime. In Brighton alone last year there were nearly 7,000 car thefts, thefts from cars and criminal damage to cars, or 19 every day and a quarter of all crime reported in the town.

The new target calls for a five-per-cent cut next year. Last year there was a one-per-cent rise throughout the county. The force is enjoying much better success with burglaries and many divisions are already recording big cuts.

The new target means an eight-per-cent reduction next year, a tall order when the force has already reduced break-ins by eight per cent during the last 12 months. In Brighton, there were almost 3,000 commercial and home burglaries last year, or more than eight a day.

Sussex Police Deputy Chief Constable Maria Wallis said: "The Government is setting extremely challenging targets. To be successful we will need to work effectively in partnership with the whole of the community and to achieve the vehicle crime figure, the Government has to play a part as well."

Sussex Police chief press officer Chris Oswick said: "Burglary has already been a priority area for the force for some time. Motor vehicle crime will now also be one of our top priorities."

Mr Straw, who has introduced crime-reduction targets for all forces, said: "For the first time, people will be able to measure the success of the fight against crime in their own backyards. We must, and we can, do better."

Sir John Evans, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the targets were only achievable if the Government provided sufficient resources and if other enforcement agencies, councils and groups played their part.

Next month HM Inspectorate of Constabulary is expected to publish league tables of crime-fighting performances, division by division in Sussex and in other forces.

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