Police officials disagree with the new crime figures

Home Office figures released this week show an 11% increase in burglary and 20% in robbery in Lincolnshire over the past financial year.

Crime detection rates were down by 12% in the county for the same period.

But Lincolnshire's Assistant Chief Constable, Peter Davies, says the statistics cannot be compared fairly with previous figures because of new rules on recording crime.

Urban crime

He says figures complied by his force indicate that overall crime is down by 5%, house burglaries are down by 19% and vehicle crime has dropped by 15% in the first six months of this year.

"The streets of Lincolnshire have not become more dangerous place over the past year," he said.

There are forces in the general picture who are struggling with some issues Hazel Blears Police Minister

A total of 32 of the 43 forces in England and Wales achieved a lower detection rate in 2002-2003 than in the previous financial year, according to the Home Office statistics.

In Derbyshire, burglary and car crime also increased, according to the figures.

House break-ins rose by 27% and vehicle break-ins were also up.

Derbyshire Police say they have taken steps to improve the situation since the figures were calculated.

Police Minister Hazel Blears said the Home Office's Police Standards Unit (PSU) is already working closely with six forces - Avon and Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Greater Manchester - and was about to start work with Humberside.

"Clearly, there are forces in the general picture who are struggling with some issues," she said.