Overall crime figures have fallen in Wandsworth and Merton in the past three years despite a continued drop in the number of policemen on the beat.

New figures also show that crimes at railway and underground stations have fallen in Wandsworth but risen in Merton.

A recent survey revealed that 34,746 crimes were committed in Wandsworth between April 2000 and April 2001 a fall of 771 from the year before but an overall rise from 1998.

Council officials have blamed the increase on the long-term reduction in police numbers which leaves Wandsworth with 100 less officers than in 1996.

Street crime has almost doubled since 1998 with Clapham Junction and Tooting Broadway the main hotspots.

But Wandsworth is tackling the problem by using more CCTV cameras which lead to the arrest of around two muggers a day the pub watch scheme and patrols in Clapham Junction.

Cabinet member for environment and public services, Councillor Guy Senior, said: "We're facing an uphill battle if the Government continues to sit back and watch police numbers fall and we're determined to do all we can to prevent this."

The overall number of crimes recorded in Merton fell by 1,021 from 1999/2000 to 2000/2001 after a rise of 206 the year before.

However, street crime rose from 1.2 to 2.5 per 1,000 residents over the three year period.

A separate survey conducted by the British Transport Police shows crime at Wandsworth's mainline stations fell by almost 39 per cent last year.

Clapham Junction suffered the highest number and Wandsworth Town the lowest.

Crime at tube stations fell by 38 per cent in the same period. Balham suffered the most and Southfields the least. In Merton, the total number of crimes at train and underground stations rose from 730 to 834.

December 19, 2001 13:00