Hertsmere's MP James Clappison has expressed alarm at soaring burglaries and crime in the borough over the past five months, revealed in figures released by the police.

Borehamwood has suffered the worst crime in Hertsmere, with number of burglaries in the borough rising by 83 per cent and overall crime by 32 per cent, in the five months to September. Robbery and vehicle crime also increased, and overall crime in Hertfordshire was up by 34 per cent.

The concerns come at a time when Hertfordshire Police Authority fears it could lose funding for more than 300 officers, under changes proposed by the Government.

Mr Clappison said of the "alarming" crime figures, revealed at a meeting last week, and the proposed funding change: "I think it is a very worrying indeed as far as crime is concerned it is certainly not under control."

But Hertfordshire Constabulary says the crime figures are misleading and the increases are due to: a change in the way crime is recorded, better communication with the public and one prolific offender.

Mr Clappison said: "32 per cent is a serious increase in crime and confirms what I am hearing from constituents."

Borehamwood suffered around 11 crimes per 1,000 people, nearly double the figures for Potters Bar and Bushey, and the worst wards were Cowley Hill and Brookmeadow.

Councillor Joe Goldberg of Cowley Hill ward where one victim, a 74-year-old woman, has been left in fear after enduring a mugging and repeated break-ins to her car this year said: "It is worrying that the figures have gone up."

Brookmeadow's Councillor Leon Reefe said: "It is very worrying. There has been an increase of street crime in and around my ward, for sure."

A police spokeswoman said the burglary rate in Hertsmere had dropped by half in September, following the arrest and remand in custody of one prolific offender.

She added, excluding this offender: "Crime remains the same. Crime is not spiralling in Hertfordshire it is the way we record crime."

She said police had expected crime figures to rise by up to one quarter, following the introduction of new recording methods earlier this year, with reports based on victims' allegations rather than evidence but this is higher than the Home Office's estimate of an average two per rise nationally.

Police said patrols of "hot-spots" had been stepped up, and in Hertsmere in recent weeks, following night-time car searches, burglaries have fallen to less than one and overall crimes to 12 daily. Mr Clappison, along with police authority chairman Peter Holland, has written to the Government opposing funding changes.

October 2, 2002 16:00