Arun crime and anti-social behaviour: This is how many witnesses chose not to report it - and the reasons why

Arun District Council, West Sussex County Council, Sussex Police, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, Probation, Health services, and a representative of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner all make up the Safer Arun Partnership.

The group has now launched a campaign to encourage people in Arun to report crime and anti-social behaviour ‘so that action can be taken’.

A spokesperson for the district council said: “The campaign has been launched in re sponse to a public consultation carried out last year where 82 per cent of respondents said they had experienced crime or ASB – either personally or as a witness – yet 64 per cent of those did not report the incident.

"The reasons for not reporting incidents included not knowing the best place to do so, thinking someone else would, and thinking it was not their business. Not believing that anything would be done was also given as a response.

"The campaign aims to provide members of the public with easy access to reporting channels and to improve confidence in reporting crime and ASB.”

Councillor Alan Butcher, chairman of the Safer Arun Partnership, said reporting crime and anti-social behaviour is important.

He added: “It helps agencies to get a full picture of what is happening in an area and provides the intelligence that partners need to appropriately deploy their resources.

"If we do not know about a crime or nuisance behaviour, it is unlikely that action will be taken, or resources deployed. By producing this information, we hope to work alongside our communities in a joint effort to reduce ASB and crime.

“On behalf of the partnership, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation. This campaign is the first part of our ‘you said, we did’ response to the feedback given.”

Window stickers have been made available to retailers to display in shops, and cards will be displayed in ‘various public buildings’, the council said.

"Officers will also carry postcard-size versions of the reporting details to hand out,” the council spokesperson added.

"Please contact [email protected] if you or your organisation would like either stickers or cards to support this community-based initiative.”

Further information about the Safer Arun Partnership can be found at www.arun.gov.uk/safer-arun-partnership.