Crime levels in Sussex are low compared with those in many inner city areas of Britain.

But there are still thousands of burglaries and car crimes every year in the county, causing misery to owners.

Hardly any of the villains are ever detected, which in turn makes people think they are not worth reporting.

Nine out of ten burglaries are never detected and the car crime detection rate is even worse.

Police have a much better record of solving the most serious crimes, such as killings and assaults, which have to be the top priority.

But the poor detection rates for thefts does tend to lead in a loss of confidence by the public in its force.

People can play their part by keeping their property safe and being vigilant but when they report thefts to officers, they are entitled to expect a better response than they have been receiving.