Robberies involving the use of knives are continuing to rise but there has been another sharp fall in gun crime, according to quarterly British police figures released today.

Domestic burglaries also rose again but there was a further drop in the overall number of crimes recorded by police.

Robberies involving knives and sharp instruments rose by 5 percent and accounted for a fifth of all robbery in the three months to December 2008, compared with the same period a year earlier.

However, that was a slower rate of increase than the 18 percent jump recorded in the September 2008 quarterly figures.

The government has been targeting knife crime and known offenders in 10 areas in response to public concerns after a series of widely publicised teenage murders.

"Today's statistics show that overall crime is stable or falling and the risk of being a victim remains historically low," said Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker.

Firearms offences were down 16 percent, following a 29 percent year-on-year fall the previous quarter.

Violence against the person also continued its recent fall, down six percent.

Domestic burglaries rose four percent, while drugs offences were again higher, up 6 percent, following an increase in the police's use of powers to issue cannabis warnings.

The overall number of crimes recorded fell four percent, following a three percent decline the previous quarter.