POLICE are making Darwen a safer place by targeting prolific offenders, residents have been told.

But they admit juvenile nuisance is becoming one of the area's biggest problems. Details came from Darwen policing co-ordinator Insp Graham Ashcroft at a meeting of Lancashire Police Authority.

He was speaking after the publication of crime figures showing burglaries fell from 322 reports to 228 (29 per cent), and vehicle crime from 560 incidents to 354 (37 per cent) last year in the town. He said this had been achieved through the targeting of known offenders with patrols in the areas they live, and even sending their families a letter warning that they were being watched.

Insp Ashcroft told the meeting: "We are delighted with the reductions we have been able to achieve. There are a small group of people who commit a lot of crime. If you arrest someone for burglary, they could be responsible for 10, 15, 20 or 50 burglaries, we just don't know."

He highlighted the case of prolific burglar Robert Rice-Storrie, who was this year sentenced to three years in jail for numerous offences. Insp Ashcroft said officers had arrested him three times in eight days in a concerted effort at clamping down on his behaviour.

Also at the meeting, at the Knott Street Community Centre, two residents of Frederick Street, Darwen, told how a group of children were making their lives a misery by playing football in the road.

They said it was causing damage to their garden wall but if they approached them, they were verbally abused.

Insp Ashcroft told them: "One of the biggest problems we have is juvenile nuisance and that sort of anti-social behaviour. I took seven officers into Whitehall and the town centre last Friday just to deal with the kids.

"We ended up taking six kids home and sent letters to 12 parents - and that is just in the town centre. It is a real problem for us and a real problem for you."

Chief Supt David Mallaby said: "Some juveniles take alcohol, some juveniles swear, some knock on doors and run away, some throw eggs. Others don't have massive urban spaces to go to or fantastic facilities and they want to congregate with their pals. We have to accept that young people want to be together. It is about recognising this really difficult problem and that there is also a responsibility for the parents. It is not just a police problem."