Serious car crime has doubled in Sussex over the past five years.

Police in the county recorded 343 incidents of aggravated vehicle taking last year, Government figures revealed today.

The offence occurs when criminals steal a car and then commit a further offence, such as reckless driving.

Nationally, incidents of the crime have increased by a fifth to 10,759 since Labour came to power in 1997.

But a Commons written reply today revealed recorded incidents had risen dramatically from just 170 in Sussex five years ago. The figure had increased to 288 by 1999 and 318 by 2000.

The Home Office today said it was determined to stamp out the crime.

A spokesman said: "Vehicle crime is not only inconvenient and distressing but it also costs the UK economy more than £3 billion a year.

"That is why the Government has set a challenging target to reduce it by 30 per cent over five years by March 2004."