The crime rate in England and Wales fell sharply for the third time last year, according to a Home Office study.

The British Crime Survey said overall crime fell by 12% between 1999 and 2000, with a significant reduction in violent crime, domestic burglary and vehicle-related thefts.

We will continue to target burglary, vehicle crime and all forms of violent crime Home Secretary David Blunkett

And the chances of being a victim in 2000 were the lowest since the survey began in 1981.

But researchers found people continued to overestimate the problem of crime, with about one third of respondents believing that crime had actually risen in the last year.

And they warned of "new types of crime" such as internet fraud and stalking, which have not yet shown up in figures.

True picture

The survey estimated that there was a total of 12.9 million crimes committed in 2000.

About 9,000 adults were interviewed in the first round of the survey published on Thursday - once it is completed next summer a total of 40,000 people will have been interviewed.

Click here to see the figures in detail.

The Home Office said the true picture could only be judged then, but that it was already possible to identify "statistically significant" declines in burglary, violence and vehicle theft.

Crimes in 2000

Vandalism 2.61m Burglary 1.06m Vehicle-related theft 2.62m Bicycle theft 377,000 Other household theft 1.62m Other theft 1.99m Mugging 312,000 Wounding 417,000 Common assault 1.89m Total: 12.9m

It said the three rises indicated in the survey - stranger violence up by 13%, theft from the person up 2%, and theft of vehicles up 1% - were not "statistically significant" because of the small number of cases recorded.

About 27% of people were victims of some type of crime once or more during the year, which compares with 39% in 1995 and is the lowest rate recorded by the BCS.

Most were victims of theft or vandalism. Less than 4% suffered any form of violence.

Home Secretary David Blunkett welcomed the news of falling crime but said levels were still too high.

"This is excellent news and is the result of investment in crime reduction initiatives by the government, the police, our community partners and business," he said.

"But rates of crime are still too high and over the coming years we will continue to target burglary, vehicle crime and all forms of violent crime."

A Conservative Party spokesman said the figures showed a poor picture.

"It is a terrible indictment on our society that nearly 13 million offences were committed last year and that more than one in four adults was a victim of crime."

Changing crimes

The survey asks people about crimes they have experienced in the last year. It includes the estimated 75% of crime which is not reported to or recorded by the police.

Crimes down

Burglary 17% Vehicle-related theft 11% Household theft 16% Violent crime 19%

Crime has risen by an average 5% a year since the beginning of last century - yet according to the BCS, crime has been falling by an average of 6% a year since peaking in 1995.

Crimes up

Stranger violence 13% Theft from the person 2% Theft of vehicles 1%

Researchers said this change to a long-term trend could be because of a healthy economy, low unemployment and increased vehicle and house security.

But they warned it could also be because the nature of crime is changing and this has not yet been reflected in surveys such as the BCS.

"It is possible... that crimes of the future will less concern the familiar household crimes such as burglary or vehicle theft, but rather new types of crime involving fraud, or the internet, or person crimes such as stalking and sexual abuse," they said on launching the report.

They also pointed out that growing numbers of under 16-year-olds were reporting robberies, such as thefts of mobile phones, but the survey interviewed only over-16s.

The figures reflect, but are more optimistic than, police statistics. Between 1999 and 2000, the police recorded a 3% fall in comparable crimes.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate surveys.

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