BEXLEY has unveiled a disappointing picture of crime in the borough over the past year.

The latest crime figures from January 2008 to December 2008, released by the Met Police, show most areas of crime across the capital are falling.

But the picture is not so rosy in Bexley, where many offences appear to be on the rise.

Alarmingly, incidents of homicide, violence against the person, sexual offences (excluding rape) and business robberies all rose in the borough last year.

And the crimes which most affect the ordinary person, such as residential burglaries and vehicle crime, also increased over the past 12 months.

But overall, crime in Bexley has dropped from 16,719 in 2007 to 16,362 last year.

Murder rates in the borough rose from just one in 2007 to five last year, while in the Met as a whole, they fell slightly.

The Bexley cases include two teenage stab victims, 17-year-old Firadon Alizadeh, 17, and Rob Knox aged 18.

Borough commander Chief Superintendent Tony Dawson said in response to the stabbings, Bexley police were now doing more stop and search, especially targeting known offenders, and working with schools to discourage young people from carrying knives.

Mr Dawson acknowledged the rise in residential burglaries, from 1,259 in 2007 to 1,444 last year, was his biggest concern.

He said: “It has been a difficult year.

“We did well in the first quarter, then we had a few difficult months.”

Mr Dawson admitted Bexley had suffered one of the highest rises in the Met.

He added: “We are now putting all practical resources into combating it.”

This includes patrolling hot spots and arresting prolific offenders.

He said: “The public can also help by locking their doors and not leaving keys in the hallway.”

Car crime has risen overall from 2,322 in 2007 to 2,501 last year.

Mr Dawson said car thefts have been cut, but thefts from cars have risen.

He added: “Again, we have concentrated on prolific offenders and trying to persuade people not to leave their property on display.”

Crimes of violence against the person have also risen from 3,198 to 3,449.

Mr Dawson claimed: “That is a 10 per cent rise, but the borough has not become 10 per cent more violent.”

Domestic crime rose from 1,025 to 1,574.

Mr Dawson said: “This forms a high proportion, about six per cent, of our crimes, but Bexley also has the second highest detection rate in the Met.”

Homophobic crime is up, from 13 to 22 incidents, but racist crime is down from 261 to 172, and crimes where a gun was used also dropped from 40 to 34.