A website allowing the public to find out how much crime is being committed in their area got off to a sticky start as it went live across the country yesterday for the first time. Stuart Arnold reports.

EARLIER this month, a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary criticised some police forces for failing to meet pledges to keep the public updated about details of crimes in their area.

Yesterday, in one of a number of measures being taken in an attempt to address the issue and improve confidence in local policing, a crime “mapping” website went live across England and Wales.

The national map – available at http://maps.police.uk/ – follows on the heels of a number of regional versions already being operated.

Durham Police have one.

Yesterday, the popularity of the website caused it to crash as thousands of people logged on.

Users were warned of “temporary intermittent issues” accessing the site, while in some cases pages failed to load properly.

Once operational, users can key in their postcode or direct a pointer on a map to the area of the country where they live.

They can also zoom into specific areas, with the aim of finding out how many crimes are being committed across five categories – burglary, robbery, vehicle crime, violence and anti-social behaviour.

The website allows the public to compare one area against another and compare crime figures against the same period the previous year to see if crime is getting better or worse.

Jan Cossins, chairwoman of Cockerton East Community Partnership, in Darlington, which brings together residents and police, council and other groups to discuss crime and other matters, tried the website for the first time yesterday.

She found she was unable to load up the relevant page when she keyed in her postcode details, but agreed, having overcome her technical problems, that the website was “useful”.

Mrs Cossins said she found out that instances of burglaries, violence and robbery were above average in her area, compared with the rest of the county. Vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour was said to be average.

She said: “Once they address the issue with the postcode finder, it could be really useful for house hunters in particular.

“Some people will find it of some use if they are really interested enough in wanting to know that kind of information.”

Chief Superintendent Dave Orford, of Durham Police, which began operating online crime mapping at the start of the year, said: “We are hoping that the national launch will raise people’s awareness that this facility exists and they can access it online.

“The reality of crime is often not the same as people’s perceptions of it and this will allow you to compare your own experience with what gets recorded.”