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Norfolk constabulary has denied that a leaked memo encouraged the inaccurate recording of car crime statistices to meet government targets.
The document urged officers not always to record smashed car windows as criminal damage.
“We appear to be making things difficult for ourselves by “criming” things that aren't actually crimes,” it read. “One example is where a car window is found to be damaged, no entry to the vehicle, no witnesses and no idea how it happened.”
“If there is no evidence of someone intending to destroy or being reckless then there is no crime.'
Deputy chief constable Ian Learmonth denied that the crime figures were being manipulated to fit government targets, and described the internal memo as “clumsy but well intentioned”.
The leaked document is thought to be indicative of a wider police policy on car crime and vandalism, which has angered rank-and-file officers.
The whistleblower said: "This is just one example of what's going on to try to screen out crimes. What's worse is that if they are not going to record it, it's not going to show the true picture of what's going on in an area."
Official figures for 2006/7 reveal that criminal damage accounted for one in five of the 5.4 million crimes recorded in England and Wales.
Will Powell
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