The government launched a plan to cut street crime last year

There was a 9% increase in rapes and a 10% increase in violent crimes between April 2002 to March 2003 than in the previous 12 months.

The clear-up rate for rapes also rose, by 3% - but three out of every four cases reported continue to go unsolved.

However, there were 3% fewer murders - with a clear- up rate of more than 81% - and street robberies also fell significantly.

The clear-up rate recorded by Operation Trident, the Met's campaign against black-on-black gun crime, jumped from 25% to 70%, which deputy commissioner Ian Blair called - a "tremendous achievement".

Fatal shootings fell by 16%, burglaries by 2%, and there were 2,800 fewer car crimes reported - a drop of slightly more than 1%.

Uniformed policing reduces crime Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Ian Blair

Cases of grievous bodily harm also dropped.

Street crimes were cut by almost 16% - there were 11,000 fewer victims - and the drop was 33% in Westminster and 36% in Lambeth.

On some days in Camden and the West End there were no robberies at all, Mr Blair said.

"This is payback for the additional resources invested in the Met.

"Uniformed policing reduces crime."

Surveillance cameras and the British Transport Police are also making streets safer, according to Mr Blair.