POLICE have blamed the V Festival for a rise in crime in Chelmsford during the past year.

Chief Inspector Steve Ditchburn, district commander for Chelmsford division, told a Chelmsford Borough Council overview and scrutiny meeting there were 137 more crimes in 2011 than in 2010.

Mr Ditchburn said he was disappointed with the new figures – which rose from 6,798 to 6,935 – but explained to councillors on February 6 there were a couple of crucial factors to blame.

He said: "The main reason was V Festival where there were 250 more incidents than the year before, which has really hurt us in terms of crime.

"Officers at V Festival said that the red camping area was targeted quite substantially and that had a huge impact on the crime numbers, which has not happened in the past.

"There were 300 theft incidents even though we drowned the event with police.

"But sister festivals got hit as well, and that has also made an impact.

"Although we have made a lot of positive improvements we are not going to deny the fact we still have a lot of work to do to improve these numbers this year."

Mr Ditchburn suggested that changes to custody blocks also made an impact. For the last nine months Chelmsford has closed its custody block – the cells in which those arrested are held – for a refurbishment.

Mr Ditchburn said: "Police officers must now take people in custody to either South Woodham Ferrers or Braintree.

"It therefore takes officers longer to get there and come back again to Chelmsford, which is not ideal.

"I am not saying this is exactly why crime has increased, but with less police on the streets of course it raises the chances of a crime occurring."

Chairman of the meeting Councillor Tom Smith-Hughes, also quizzed the chief inspector on the number of metal thefts, which have been a particular problem in Chelmsford.

There were 127 metal thefts between April and December 2011, but only three were detected by police.

Mr Ditchburn said: "In Chelmsford there are more metal thefts than in any other place in the county. The main items stolen were catalytic converters."

He added electrical substations were also targeted for metal wiring.

"The price of copper has risen dramatically, and so the number of people trying to steal it for money will rise too."

But the meeting also noted areas where Essex Police has improved, including criminal damage, house burglaries and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Ditchburn said: "There has been a 17 per cent drop in house burglaries, with just 74 offences since this time last year."

He also told councillors that in 2011, 70 per cent of shoplifters were also caught. There was a 14.5 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour and a 3.3 per cent reduction in road traffic accidents.