The link between drugs and crime was proven yet again with the release of the Police crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2002 yesterday.

"The association between drug use and acquisitive crimes - stealing, break and entering and, in some cases, removal of bikes remains strong," Police Commissioner Jonathon Smith said at a press conference yesterday.

In fact, the amount of stolen vehicles throughout the whole of 2002 reached a seven year high, leaping to 1,480 stolen vehicles as opposed to 1,158 in 2001.

Burglaries increased from 129 in 2001 to 185 in 2002, and store-breaking went from 79 in 2001 to 102 in 2002.

"These increases in acquisitive crimes have led to an increase in crime reports for the year," said Mr. Smith. Total crime has jumped from 2,743 in 2001 to 3,095 in 2002, an increase of 12 percent.

Violent crime, on the other hand, reached a seven year low in 2002. "The overall reduction in violent crime is attributed to some decline in the number of sexual assaults, serious assaults on Police, and robberies," said Mr. Smith.

"While there is still evidence of very serious and violent crime being reported, we can certainly report that reports of violent crime were lower in 2002 than in any of the previous six years."

The Commissioner said a number of initiatives are in place or being planned within the service specifically addressing the types of crime that caused the increases in 2002, in particular the breaking and enterings and removals.

"A team of detectives have been employed to concentrate on breaking and entering offences," said Mr. Smith.

"The team made a number of arrests during the last three months of last year - at least 13 prolific and/or repeat offenders were arrested and placed before the courts within the last three months.

"We continue to advise home and building owners to secure their premises."

A vehicle crime unit is also working hard to reduce the number of reported removals, he said. "The public have a role to play here too. We continue to advise the public to properly secure their vehicles at all times as we must work jointly to reduce this particular type of crime," he said.

He added that he was merely highlighting some of the work that took place. "That is not the extent of law enforcement efforts in that regard," he said.

The Crime Prevention Unit will also be releasing crime prevention information via the media shortly, he said.