Crime concerns are being exaggerated

Let me be quite clear, Sutton has some of the lowest crime figures of any borough in the Metropolitan Police Service, while our detection rates are some of the highest.

In other words your chances of being a victim of crime in Sutton are very low, but when a crime is committed the chances of the criminal being caught are relatively high.

I do not disagree that there has been some increase in the number of robberies.

However because the actual number of robberies is relatively low (often less than one a day) even a very few extra incidents can result in a significant percentage rise.

But our latest crime figures show no rise in the number of burglaries on the same period last year, indeed the trend appears to be downward.

The latest statistics for total crimes in the borough show a small drop on last year's figures.

Mr Horry says that fear of crime in Sutton is higher than the rest of London according to last year's Mori poll.

The Mori survey showed that fear of crime in Sutton was out of all proportion to the low levels of crime actually taking place.

We have been doing a lot of work to reassure people that Sutton is actually a very safe place compared to most other parts of London and counter the misleading views expressed by a vociferous minority.

The latest available research, a public attitude survey commissioned by the Metropolitan Police, shows that in Sutton 19 per cent of residents are worried about being a victim of crime compared to a London figure of 35 per cent.

Teams of uniformed and plain clothes police officers are on duty patrolling the streets of Sutton 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The community based safer neighbourhood teams can and do work later than 11pm when there is a need - but that is not their primary role.

Lastly, as Mr Horry knows, a meeting has been arranged for him to meet a senior police officer to discuss his concerns in more detail.

BOB REED Borough Commander Sutton Police