CRIME has been reduced in Axminster because staffing levels are almost up to strength, town councillors heard during the monthly meeting.

CRIME has been reduced in Axminster because staffing levels are almost up to strength, town councillors heard during the monthly meeting.PC Darren Herridge reported crime was down by almost 20 per cent on last year and that the station was almost fully manned.Deputy mayor Ron Jones highlighted there was a link between police numbers and the crime figures at the meeting on Monday.PC Herridge agreed: "It shows, when we are fully backed, how crime figures are reduced. We are currently one officer short."He added that the drop from 362 incidents to 296 was partly due to the biggest ever drop in criminal damage offences. He believed it could be the result of the arrest of three people last year, involving a large pay out of compensation, which acted as a deterrent.Cases of sexual assault were down from four incidents to none this year, but cases of driving with excess alcohol were up.He said: "I would like to put that down to the fact we are out there and stopping it."But theft offences - including a spate of diesel thefts - were on the increase. PC Herridge said it was something they would be monitoring.Mayor Graham Godbeer praised the police effort. He said: "When you consider the population is going up, then pro rata the crime is reducing more per head.