CRIME in Uttlesford is down by 11 per cent, according to police figures shown to parish councils and the public on Tuesday night. During a presentation at the South Uttlesford Forum at Helena Romanes School, Chief Inspector Joe Wrigley said that police we

CRIME in Uttlesford is down by 11 per cent, according to police figures shown to parish councils and the public on Tuesday night.

During a presentation at the South Uttlesford Forum at Helena Romanes School, Chief Inspector Joe Wrigley said that police were still very focused on addressing their main concern - criminal damage.

He said: "Four out of five criminal damage incidents are spur-of-the-moment crimes, so it makes it very difficult to detect.

"This year there has been 126 reported offences and 56 per cent of them involved vehicles being scratched or windows smashed. Only two per cent involves graffiti."

Chief Insp Wrigley added that the police would be seeking the help of the public and neighbourhood watch organisations to help clamp down on vandalism in the next few months.