"THERE are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

Just who is the Home Office trying to fool when it states that the crime rate in North Yorkshire fell 22 per cent to last September (November 10)?

If we are to believe your reporting, vandalism, riotous threatening behaviour and opportunist theft is far worse than it ever was.

The difference is that many victims of crime now feel that it's not worth reporting their problems as they know the police no longer have the manpower, time or inclination to deal with so called low-grade offences.

Ken Scaife,

Ferguson Way, York.

Updated: 10:20 Tuesday, November 16, 2004