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The recession made many people fear that crime would increase but just the opposite seems to have happened. Crime is actually at its lowest level since 1981.

The British Crime Survey has just revealed that crime offences have fallen by 9% in the last year from  10.5 million offences to 9.6 million in 2009/10.

It was the first time the total number of offences dropped below the 10 million mark since records began.

The police said there has beem a particularly big drop in theft of all kinds including burgulary and credit card crime - known as acquisitive crimes.

Chief number cruncher David Blunt said improved security measures, including alarms, better door and window locks as well as vehicle immobilisers are responsible for the drop in acquisitive crimes.

However, there has been little change in the levels of violent crime.

Some have gone up, such as gun crimes which rose by 3% but David Blunt said there were 6.5 million fewer victims of crime in 2009/10 than in 1995.

In other crime news, ex EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, urged people today to celebrate the "99%" of young people who make a valuable contribution to society.

Researchers have discovered 45 per cent of Londoners do not feel safe around teenagers on the street. People believe one in three young people is involved in crime. The true figure is fewer than one in a 100.

Brooke Kinsella, whose brother Ben was stabbed to death in 2008, said the "overwhelming majority" of teenagers make a positive contribution.

She's supporting a new campaign by the London Serious Youth Violence Board (or LSYVB for short) called the "99 per cent initiative".

Brooke said: "We should never lose sight of the fact that most young people are hard-working and law-abiding - the 99% should be celebrated across the capital.

"I hope this campaign will help encourage even more young people across London to make a positive contribution in their local community."

Will Tuckley, of LSYVB, said: "We know that youth violence is a major challenge in our city, but we also know that we are not doing enough to promote the 99% that aren't involved in it.

"Our survey has reminded us of how far off the public's perceptions are from the reality on the streets of London, and our young people are telling us they want a more accurate picture portrayed.

"We need to do justice to the 99% of our children and young people, and encourage the 1% to change their ways. This is long overdue."