The number of incidences of arson, assault, vandalism and affray has fallen on the Dee Road Estate in north Reading, according to recent police statistics.

It follows the launch of a "zero tolerance" campaign by Thames Valley Police - Operation Electrode - in October 2002, in response to complaints from residents about the growing level of crime.

The move also led to the securing of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) banning two 16-year-olds from most of the estate and some surrounding areas.

Multi-agency approach

Between January 2003 and December 2003, 396 crimes were committed on the estate, compared to 525 the year before - a drop of 26%.

As part of the campaign, residents whose lives had been made a misery by the criminal activity, which has plagued the estate for years, joined forces with the police and Reading Borough Council to tackle the troublemakers.

Inspector Dave Griffiths, of Thames Valley Police, said: "These crime figures show that the massive effort from everyone on Dee Road - especially the residents - is starting to pay off.

"Police and their partners have worked hard in the last few years to tackle the problems that decent residents were suffering from and to stamp out some of the appalling behaviour and offending which they were enduring."