Calne police have the highest detection rate in the North division, according to the latest crime figures.

The figures for the first ten months of 2003 show that recorded crime fell by seven per cent compared with the same period last year.

Out of the 587 crimes committed in Calne there was an overall detection rate of 27.6 per cent. This is matched by 26.7 per cent in Chippenham, 20.8 per cent in Corsham and 23.2 per cent in Wootton Bassett.

Calne police have the highest detection rate for violent crime, vehicle crime and criminal damage in the division. They have detected 59.3 per cent of violent crime this year to date.

However their detection rates for house burglaries and theft are not the highest. They have detected only 5.4 per cent of house burglaries in comparison to Chippenham police who detected 14.3 this year.

Sergeant Nick Shorten presented the figures and a police report to members of Calne Town Council last week.

He said he was pleased that the station was performing well while trying to meet the challenge of 24-hour policing cover. The police have been providing Calne with this cover for two months, whereas before cover was provided from Chippenham.

"I personally feel that so far we have managed to provide the town with an improved quality of service and there is undoubtedly an opportunity to achieve a degree of consistency that was not happening before the changeover," said Sgt Shorten.

But he also warned councillors that the town was still suffering with drug problems and there had been a noticeable increase in the number of heroin addicts returning to the town.

"I fear that unless we can find as a community, some way to beat the addiction of these people, we are fighting a losing battle," he said.