A CRIME author has described the breaking incidents he has witnessed while out on patrol with police.

Peter James is currently travelling the streets of Brighton with a response crew from Sussex Police.

He joked that Roy Grace, a detective from a series of his novels, would be on the lookout for criminal behaviour.

Mr James said: "Out with Sussex Police response crew.

"Brighton miscreants be warned. 

"Roy Grace is out looking for you."

Throughout the evening he posted a series of updates saying what he had encountered.

At about 6pm he said: "En route to a sexual assault suspect who has been sighted on a street."

Then at 6.50pm he added: "Now with Sussex Police looking for a woman on the beach threatening to drown herself."

Readers were fascinated by his hands-on approach to research for his writing.

One said: "It must be so interesting going out with the police.

"Your books do so much to educate the reader as to what is really involved in being an officer in the 21 century."

Another added: "The things you do on a Friday night. Stay safe and catch those baddies."