Crime fell in Ottery last year by 17 per cent last year, bucking the trend in Devon Cornwall which saw an overall rise of more than six per cent.

Ottery PC Phil Thomas announced the figures at last week’s Annual Parish Meeting, saying he was very pleased to see recorded incidents come down from 265 in 2010-11, to 220 for the last 12 months.

Of those, eight were house burglaries, and 26 were burglaries to other types of property.

PC Thomas, whose patch covers Ottery, West Hill, Tipton St John and Alfington, said: “Please visualize the size of area that I am talking about.

“I believe eight house burglaries is a remarkable figure for the size and relative affluence of this area.”

He said incidences of theft and violence were slightly down on last year, and criminal damage, which accounts for most of the crime they deal with, was slightly up.

Just under 30 per cent of recorded crime is detected, most of which PC Thomas said comes from assaults where the victim knows their assailant, and from police-generated incidents such as driving and public order offences.

He added: “Locally, big changes have occurred in the last year, including the new bridge, Sainsbury’s and the skate and BMX park.

“I’m pleased to report they have had no detrimental impact on local policing.”