RECORDED crime in Pocklington has more than doubled in the last year - after the introduction of CCTV systems.

Police chiefs claim the figures are actually a victory for crime prevention, as CCTV is helping officers to detect more offences.

Speaking at a meeting of Pocklington Town Council, Inspector Andy Barnes revealed that the number of incidents recorded since CCTV was introduced about 18 months ago, had risen from 31 offences to 72.

The system, run through a partnership of the police and the crime prevention panel, operates both a fixed system, in Pocklington, and a mobile system which operates across Pocklington, Market Weighton and Stamford Bridge.

Inspector Barnes said any rise in crime was "a concern". But he added that, in this case, he felt the increase was because CCTV gave the police a better chance of detecting crime.

He said today: "We must be careful when interpreting these figures as the numbers of crimes are actually very small.

"CCTV has been a great success for a number of reasons. The system helps to reassure the public. It makes them feel safer.

"We can also observe what's happening in the town now and that helps us to respond quicker to offences.

"Basically, people will be caught now CCTV is in the town. Although the crime rate appears to have risen in these statistics, compared with last year, there has actually been a 15 per cent reduction."

Speaking during the town council meeting, Coun Rowan Blake-Jones said: "We have got to back the police and the crime prevention panel.

"This system is a valuable aid to increasing the detection rate as well as reducing the amount of crime.

"These statistics are there, but I feel this (CCTV) is helping detect crime and, in the long run, this must be very reassuring for everybody."

Updated: 10:34 Tuesday, November 13, 2001