KNIVES and other weapons were used in more than 150 crimes in York in a year. But the latest figures indicate that the number of such incidents is falling.

Details released by North Yorkshire Police showed there were 160 recorded robberies or incidents of violence against the person in the city between November 2012 and October 31, 2013.

The figures, released under the Freedom Of Information Act, show knives or other bladed instruments were used in 47 of the crimes, while firearms were used in eight.

Non-bladed implements were used in 87 of the crimes, while glass was used as a weapon in 17 of them.

Police said the highest number of incidents took place in the city-centre Guildhall ward, while high numbers also took place in Westfield, Micklegate, and Clifton.

Armed incidents were also reported in Bishopthorpe, Fulford, Strensall, Derwent , and the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe areas. A police spokesman said 100 arrests had been made in connection with the crimes.

However, the number of armed offences recorded in the city fell in 2013/2014, from 160 to 122, with the number of incidents involving knives or bladed implements falling to 33.

In the same period, firearms were used in eight crimes, and incidents involving non-bladed implements fell to 69, while glass was used in 16 offences.

In total, police arrested 91 people over these crimes – 44 in connection with assaults that caused injury, 18 for assault with intent to cause serious harm, and 16 for assaults that did not cause injury. Thirteen people were arrested for robberies of personal and business properties.

It is not clear how many of the arrests led to successful convictions.

Superintendent Phil Cain, of York Safer Neighbourhood Command, said any type of violent crime was taken “extremely seriously by York police” and its partners, and the force was “doing all we can to prevent and detect such offences”.

Supt Cain said: “The figures for this calendar year in relation to the number of robberies and assaults where weapons were used is lower than it was for the year before and we are working hard to ensure this downward trend continues.

“The number of arrests we have made in connection with these incidents show that we are doing an effective job of identifying and locating the people responsible for committing these offences.”

Supt Cain said crime continued to fall across North Yorkshire and the City of York, and this had been due in part to the work with partner agencies.