Oxfordshire is bucking a national rise in burglaries and thefts which are said to be caused by the economic downturn.

A leaked Home Office memo warned acquisitive crime — burglary, theft from cars and robbery — would increase dramatically if the country entered a recession.

In July, Thames Valley Police was one of 19 from 39 forces surveyed which experienced a rise in burglaries.

The 21 per cent increase was believed to be the first indicator of rising crime reversing the trend of falling rates during economic prosperity over the past decade.

But Oxfordshire police bucked the trend with further decreases in burglary, robbery and theft of cars. Only theft from vehicles increased.

Det Chief Insp Chris Sharp, the force's Oxfordshire crime manager, said the force was fully prepared if recession caused an increase in crime.

He said: "It's something we are aware of and we have plans in place to address it before it happens. But there are many, many things which affect crime — not just the economy."

Figures last week showed a ten per cent increase in unemployment in Oxfordshire.

But Mr Sharp said the rise was not resulting in higher crime figures.

He said between April and September all acquisitive crime dropped from 3,058 in the same period last year to 2,936 this year.

Meanwhile, serious violent crime and sexual offences fell by 20 per cent from 315 to 252 during the same period.

In July, across Thames Valley the force suffered a 21 per cent increase in burglary, up to 1,021 compared to 804 last year.

Nineteen out of 31 police forces surveyed by The Observer newspaper showed an increase.

A leaked draft letter to Downing Street from Home Secretary Jacqui Smith earlier this month warned of a rise in property crime by seven per cent this year and two per cent in 2007 because of financial problems affecting Britain.

Other forces around the country have reported dramatic increases in property crime, including the Metropolitan Police, Dorset, Avon & Somerset, Essex and Staffordshire.

Hertfordshire recorded 23 per cent rise in burglary this summer compared to last year.