COUNCILLORS have called for police to be more visible in Darlington as latest figures show an increase in crime across the borough.

Durham Police Crime and Victim’s Commissioner Ron Hogg told Thursday’s meeting of the full council that the force is under “real pressure” due to budget cuts.

He said that although there had not been an increase in serious crime in Darlington in the last month, low level crime such as anti-social behaviour and criminal damage had increased in August.

Mr Hogg said: “Criminal damage has gone up by 36 per cent, particularly to motor vehicles.

“This links to kids riding by and kicking mirrors off cars; this is a real concern.

“Burglary is beginning to rise and we need to be really on the ball about what we can do to prevent this kind of crime.

“It is getting dark and people are still leaving doors open.”

He added: “Anti-social behaviour spiked in August, slightly higher than the last two years.”

Councillors Doris Jones and Anne-Marie Curry praised the work of Durham Police but shared examples from their wards in which residents felt let down by the force.

Cllr Jones, of Middleton St George ward, said she recently attended a Pact meeting which became very heated as villagers felt that not enough was being done by the police to tackle anti-social behaviour.

She said that one resident had phoned the police 38 times over a four-week period to report troublesome behaviour by groups of youths but had received no reaction from officers.

“I am asking for more policing,” said Cllr Jones. “I am very proud of Durham Constabulary and the good work you are doing but I want it spread out across the whole town so that people can see it.”

Cllr Curry, of the North Road ward, told Mr Hogg that four of her constituents’ homes had been targeted by petty burglars but only one householder reported the incident to police.

She said it then took four days for an officer to visit the victim, which further dented public confidence in the force.

Mr Hogg responded that it was his job to hold the police to account and he urged councillors to encourage residents of their wards to contact his office if they had any issues with the constabulary.

He said that frontline staff were working “really hard” but that it was impossible to do more with less resources. He added that there were 1,150 officers currently serving the force area but there will soon be 20 new recruits on the streets .