Police website in the dock as it labels cul-de-sac a crime hotspot
ASH GARDENS may be a cul-de-sac of just 10 houses in a quiet Wiltshire village of 900 people but, according to police, it is also a criminal hotspot with 120 offences committed last year.
Now residents of the close, in South Marston, near Swindon, have spoken of their fears that property prices are being affected by the Home Office’s police website, which appears to have branded it as crime ridden.
Zooming in on Ash Gardens, the site alleges that in February alone there were four incidents of criminal damage and arson, two public order offences, one serious violent or sexual offence and a drugs offence.
The disparity between the recorded crimes and the actual experiences of the residents comes down to how the website records crimes, telling visitors to the site that offences have happened “on or near” that street.
Ash Gardens is less than a mile from Gablecross Police Station and close to an industrial estate and public park. On the website it comes under the Swindon North region, which includes part of the town.
Trudy Fugito, who has lived in Ash Gardens for 30 years, said: “When I heard about the problem, my first concern was that it was going to impact property prices. I am sure it is a concern of my neighbours too. We have absolutely no crime down this street. It’s quiet and leafy.
“However, there is a very dangerous street in Swindon where so much crime occurs and there are far fewer incidents recorded down there – yet somehow we have ended up with 120.
“It is very concerning where they are getting their facts from and the impact this could have on the price of our homes.” Hazel Beaver, 53, a neighbour, said: “It’s a safe area. It must be a glitch in the statistics.”
The Home Office has said: “Police.uk clearly states that markers on the crime maps give an approximate location of where a crime has occurred and not the exact place, to protect the identity of victims. This anonymisation is based on methodology developed in consultation with the Information Commissioner’s Office and data protection specialists, and is accurate to 2012 population and housing developments.”