Sussex police blame 999 hoaxers for high crime streets

The maps allow people to find out what crime incidents have been reported near where they live

Two Sussex streets have ranked highly on online crime maps because of hoax 999 calls, police have said.

The maps covering England and Wales were launched so people could view crime figures for where they live.

But the service showed abnormally high statistics for Bolnore Road in Haywards Heath and Church Lane in Lewes - sites of a call centre and a police station.

Sussex Police said hoax calls were recorded at those sites because there were no alternative locations.

A statement issued by the force said: "The street mapping figures show abnormally high numbers of anti-social behaviour incidents being recorded at these two sites, both of which are our main call handling centres where 999 and non-emergency calls are received.

"We have been thorough in our recording and these high figures relate to hoax calls - mainly received by mobile phone - which have been recorded at those sites because there was no alternative geographical location.

"They do not relate to disproportionate levels of crime or anti-social behaviour in those local areas."

The statement said Sussex Police was awaiting advice from the National Policing Improvement Agency about how these types of incidents should be recorded in the future to avoid confusion.

The maps, on www.police.uk, allow the public to find out which crimes have taken place on or near their street within the past month and which officers are responsible for their area.

Information on crime is broken down into six categories - burglary, robbery, vehicle crime, violence, other crime and anti-social behaviour.