Just one in every five crimes committed in the region is solved by Thames Valley Police, writes Emma Henry.

But the three county police areas of Oxford, south Oxfordshire and north Oxfordshire have all notched up significant successes in the war against drugs, car crime and burglary.

The statistics, released today by the Home Office, show the force, as a whole, has a clear-up rate of 20 per cent. This compares with the national average of 24 per cent. The figures, covering the 12 months up to the end of March 2000, also reveal an 8.7 per cent rise in crime. Oxford police chief Supt David McWhirter is celebrating substantial drops in car crime and house burglaries.

North Oxfordshire's low burglary statistics make it the safest place to live in the Thames Valley region, with the south Oxfordshire police area coming second.

A spokesman said: "Overall, the crime rate in Thames Valley remains low, with 9,142 offences per 100,000 head of population. This is less than the national figure of 10,111 offences per 100,000. "However, we have seen a rise in crime in the last 12 months, which is consistent with other forces who border the Metropolitan Police. This is in part down to an economic boom in the south-east and the fact that criminals are using the motorway system to commit crime across the whole region."

The spokesman added: "Our clear-up rate is not as high as we would like. It's slowly improving, down to better focusing on our bulk crimes, such as car crime and burglary. Our car crime detection rates have not been high enough in the past year.

"However, we have had some stunning successes in putting away major drug dealers and some of the Mr Bigs in Thames Valley and that does take up a large number of officers and their time." Violent crime has gone up in the region, but not in line with the national average, making it still one of the safest places to live and work in the country, he said. Thames Valley is still the most undermanned force in the UK.

Supt McWhirter, of Oxford Police, said he was pleased by the sliding burglary and vehicle crime numbers, but would not get complacent. He vowed to tackle the low clear-up rate in the city, saying: I'm absolutely determined the clear-up figures will be up next year."