Oxfordshire's chief police officer is retiring after presiding over a drop in burglaries, car crime and robbery.

Chief Supt Shaun Morley, 51, has stepped down after spending 30 years with Thames Valley Police.

For the past two years, the father-of-four has been the commander of policing in Oxfordshire, and witnessed a dramatic fall in the numbers of "acquisitive crime".

But Mr Morley said policing late night drunken violence remained one of the biggest challenges facing the police in Oxfordshire.

He said: "Cops work much harder now than when I joined, but it is a lot more professional.

"The pressure and expectation is also far greater. The paperwork is immense.

"I am quite proud about the big reductions we seen in acquisitive crime such as burglaries, car crime and robbery. These are things that affect people's lives.

"Oxfordshire is seen around the country as quite innovative.

"We've seen huge falls and will continue to see big reductions across the county."

In the past two years, police have developed a referral system which sees criminals given help to stop committing crime.

Many burglars, car thieves and robbers have been diverted away from crime through the Intensive Recidivist Intervention Scheme - which is now being copied around the country.

But in the past two years, drunken and violent crime - mainly outside pubs and clubs - has increased.

Mr Morley said: "Violence around the night time economy is one of things that has not been successful.

"We struggle to get enough police officers on the streets at times.

"The night time is changing.

"Crimes are going on until 5am in Oxford, and 3am or 4am in the market towns.

"This is now not just Friday and Saturday, but stretches to Thursdays too.

"This is one of the greatest challenges facing the force in the next few years."

Mr Morley joined Thames Valley Police in 1978 and was a regular on the beat in Reading before joining the fraud squad.