RESIDENTS fear a security camera system which has dramatically cut car crime in Darlington town centre may be pushing criminals into other parts of the town.

Darlington Borough Council, which first installed closed circuit television into the town in 1994, is planning to put two new schemes into operation during the next year.

Costing a total of £160,000, on top of the £1.5m already spent on the town's system, the schemes will cover the Stanhope Park and Northgate areas - noted car crime hotspots.

Since 1994, annual town centre car crime figures have fallen from 374 to 30 last year.

However, residents living only a few hundred yards from the town hall fear they could be suffering as a result of the CCTV system.

In Victoria Embankment alone, at least six vehicles have been attacked or stolen during the last 12 months - equalling 20 per cent of the total recorded incidents in the town centre's car parks.

Resident Anna Cox had her car radio stolen and the door damaged last February, followed by two attacks last month when two windows were smashed and the hubcaps stolen.

During the same period, a neighbour's car window was smashed and two other vehicles have been stolen.

And she backs the plans to extend the CCTV schemes to parts of the town where crime levels are high.

"I think security cameras everywhere are great - I would have one outside my front door," she said.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian McDonald, of Darlington police, said there were no figures to suggest the crime was simply being shifted elsewhere.

He said: "CCTV has played a very important part in tackling car crime in the town centre and its benefits far outweigh the possibility of the danger of crime displacement."

A council spokesman said crime hotspots would be highlighted to secure further funding for more equipment to cover those areas.