Good news and bad, with crime

Published: 1st April

• MANY people will be querying why the police only released the picture of the suspected Belsize gun mugger a week after the first instance (Police release image of man suspected of muggings, March 25).
The reason given by the police was that the image might have swayed the results of an identity parade.
However, releasing the image earlier might have prevented the fourth mugging.
A broader issue that needs addressing is why some Safer Neighbourhoods panels are given a full list of crimes in their areas while others are only given good news stories.
I can understand that the police would want to reassure the public by playing down the crime statistics.
However, this confidence becomes shattered when people hear of crimes on the grapevine rather than through official sources.
While there are confidentiality issues that need to be considered, the police should release to the public details of all crimes in the area.
The crime rate in Camden is actually lower that some people think and releasing the statistics on a “warts-and-all” basis, would actually boost the public confidence in the police.
JONNY BUCKNELL
Chamberlain Street, NW1