Offences fall by 6.5% in London

Gun offences general are down 1.4%

Crime in London has fallen 6.5%, according to the Metropolitan Police's (Met) annual statistics.

But gun crime in Afro-Caribbean communities rose 8.8% in the period between April 2007 and March 2008, compared to April 2006 and March 2007.

Gun crime in general was down (1.4%) and is the lowest since 2000 although a 5% reduction target was missed.

Homicide was down (4.8%), as is rape (16.7%) and knife crime (15%). The 160 murders were the fewest in nine years.

And the 37,000 robberies reported, which represents a fall of 19.2%, is lowest since 2000, according to the Met.

But the Met's Operation Trident team, which investigates gun crime in London's Afro-Caribbean communities, reported a rise.

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