The government launched a plan to cut street crime last year

The number of sexual offences rose by 5%, and drug-related crime by 28%, but robberies were down 21%.

The Home Office said this year's figures are difficult to interpret because of new police methods of recording crimes.

The Metropolitan Police said the numbers of police officers are at their highest than at any time in history and there will be more locally based officers.

There were more than a million crimes in London in the past year - making up nearly a sixth of all offences committed in England and Wales.

The Met is claiming is great success in reducing the levels of street crime, burglary, car crime and gun-related violent crime.

Street crime in Lambeth went down by 38%, the best performance in England, and in Westminster it fell by 33%.

We have to balance the security needs of a capital city whilst delivering the level of service all Londoners deserve Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen House

This is mainly due to the Street Crime Initiative which saw officers moved from other duties, such as traffic, to target street crime, which had seen a sharp rise in recent years.

The reduction in robberies is put down to intelligence-led policing.

Scotland Yard said it is aiming for 35,000 operational staff to help it meet its future targets.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen House said: "We recognise that our targets for the coming year are challenging and there is no room for complacency.

New recording method

"London is a unique policing environment and we have to balance the security needs of a capital city whilst delivering the level of service all Londoners deserve."

The new method of recording crime was introduced in all police forces in England and Wales last year.

It means more minor offences, including low level criminal damage and common assaults, are now recorded as crimes as soon as someone reports them.

Previously they would not be recorded until police were satisfied that a crime had in fact been committed.