CRIME `NOW WELL UNDER CONTROL' Mersey police hit back after Home Office rap.

Byline: GREGG FRAY & PETRA MANN

MERSEYSIDE police chiefs today insisted: ``We have got crime firmly under control.''

They spoke out after Home Office figures revealed the region was among the least effective in carrying out the government's robbery reduction initiative.

Tony Blair promised in the Commons in April that the problem would be ``brought under control'' by September.

He branded Merseyside among 10 hot spots and ordered police to reduce the number of robberies and street attacks.

The areas shared pounds 67m in extra funding for operations to specifically target street crime.

Yesterday, Home Office figures showed there had been a 5% reduction in robbery on Merseyside, comparing March to August. But the drop was less than nearly every other force area.

But the region's police say that, if August crime figures are compared to April, Merseyside slashed robbery by 27%.

Referring to Merseyside's success in targeting street crime, assistant chief constable Ian McPherson said: ``We started this exercise with 13 robberies a day. We are down to eight a day.

``With a population of 1.5m, the level of victimisation is very low. We have got a real control on criminality.''

The other forces included in the government's street crime initiative are Metropolitan, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Avon and Somerset, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Thames Valley and Lancashire. All but Lancashire showed reductions in robbery.

The Home Office said these areas accounted for 80% of UK robberies.

Merseyside police claim their force area represents only 2% of that total.

CAPTION(S):

CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Two men carry out a assault that was captured by CCTV cameras. Merseyside police say such incidents are on the decline