Crime has been cut by just over five per cent but there has been a spike in the number of burglaries.

Overall, crime in Sutton fell by 5.2 per cent for the year between April last year and the start of April this year.

It is the fourth year running that crime has fallen and the reduction represents 606 fewer victims than last year.

But residential burglaries have gone up by 18.6 per cent, an increase of 137 victims, and car crime has gone up by 8.3 per cent, according to the annual figures released this morning.

Sutton's Borough Commander Guy Ferguson said the crime results are good news for the borough overall but admitted the burglary figures are disappointing.

He said: "Every day we are running operations of one kind or another to put criminals on the back foot and to show them that we will pursue them in a robust and relentless way.

"At the same time, residents are becoming increasingly aware that they don’t have to suffer in silence.

"We are getting some good information from residents about criminal and anti-social behaviour and we are acting on this information - as a result we are carrying out search and arrest warrants almost every day to make these activities stop."

He said the spike in burglaries could be down a the high price of gold and a spate of burglaries targeting the valuable metal late last year.

"He also said police estimate that around 60 per cent of the burglaries are being committed by offenders coming into the borough from outside.

He added: "Sutton is known throughout London as a borough where police and other organisations like Sutton Council, registered social landlords, businesses and others like Neighbourhood Watch, work closely together to make local communities safer.

"We are determined to work in any way we can to make Sutton even safer for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits the borough."

Areas where crime has been cut include personal robbery, which is down 8 per cent, and domestic violence with injury.