The number of persistent or prolific criminals in Lancashire has hit a three year high, figures have revealed.
New statistics from the Home Office, in response to a Parliamentary question, reveal the county had 427 persistent offenders between January and December last year.
That compares to 361 in 2006 and 413 in 2005.
It means of the country's 43 police forces Lancashire has the fifth highest number in England and Wales behind the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Nottinghamshire.
According to the Home Office there are around one million offenders in the population at any one time.
Research estimates that of these, around 100,000 are persistent or prolific offenders and commit about half of all serious crime.
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