CRACK CLAMPDOWN LOWERING CITY CRIME RATE, POLICE SAY

Break-ins reached an all-time low in February and March as police statistics
again show the number of crimes in the Hamilton area dropping in almost
every category.

Ken Bond, superintendent of investigative services, said the figures suggest
police efforts to clamp down on crack cocaine are paying off because there
is "a strong correlation" between the drug's use and overall crime rate.

Police statistics show there were 491 home break-ins in the first three
months of this year, nearly 25 per cent fewer than the 634 for the same
period last year.

Assaults, frauds and sexual offences all dropped by more than 20 per cent
over last year, while car thefts and non-home break-ins dropped by about 10
per cent each. Thefts of property worth more than $1,000 dropped by 17 per
cent and there were six fewer robberies at 140.

"There is a dramatic drop and we had a dramatic drop last year," Supt. Bond
said, citing break-ins and auto thefts in particular. "It was a concern to
me, how do you keep that up year after year, but these numbers are more
positive and more encouraging," he said.

"With all stats there's a point where you're getting smaller and smaller
returns for the value you're putting into it, but I think there's still room
for improvement and we will continue to focus in on that (crack) part of our
area of crime fighting."