Figures show that The Butts is the worst area for crime and anti-social behaviour in Sandwich, and councillors say a lack of street lighting is responsible.

Loop Street and particularly Tannery Lane have the highest figures of crime, according to the Kent Police website.

The latest available figures show that in November 2014 there were two cases of shoplifting and one case of anti-social behaviour in Tannery Lane.

In September there were four shoplifting offences, three anti-social behaviour incidents and one drug offence.

And in August there were four shoplifting incidents and one violent or sexual offence.

Sgt Paul Gammon, from Dover Community Safety Unit, said: “Sandwich remains a low crime area, and it is worth noting that the figures obtained incorporate non-crime calls made to the police such as anti-social behaviour, which includes bad parking, noisy neighbours and dog mess.

“A fairly high number of the crimes in these areas were for shoplifting.

“The area is regularly patrolled by PCSOs Doreen Lee and Ian Norton.

“In addition to regular response patrols, there is also a daily anti-social behaviour police car staffed by two Police Community Support Officers, which patrols the whole of the Dover district responding to reports of anti-social behaviour as and when they occur.

“And we have now created a team of PCSOs whose main aim is to reduce anti-social behaviour in the district. Led by the Dover Community Safety Unit, they will be tasked to attend areas highlighted as having a specific need or requirement in order to tackle the short-term issues affecting the community, as well as putting in place long-term measures to effectively reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.”

At a meeting on January 26, Sandwich Town councillors expressed concern that a lack of street lighting could be responsible for some of the crimes.

Tannery Lane comes under Kent County Council’s Safe and Sensible street-lighting policy. which involves switching off lights between midnight and 5.30am.

Cllr Paul Carter said: “Where lights are switched off, you will see vandalism happening in the town.

“It just shows the town is getting worse.

“They said they would put in more reactive policing but it’s reactive at a distance.

“Its a shame that the police won’t be up for election next May.”

It was suggested that Sandown Road, Millwall Place, and the two alleyways off King Street, Holy Ghost Alley and Seven Post Alley are in need of street lights.

Some of the figures from the Kent Police website did not show a correlation between a lack of lights and crimes.

Sgt Gammon said these figures do not show what time of day a crime took place or if crimes happened outside or inside.

There were two anti-social behaviour incidents and one public order issue reported in Moat Sole in November, and this is an area which still has lights switched on.

“Its a shame that the police won’t be up for election next May.” - Cllr Paul Carter.

Similarly, two crimes were reported in Market Street in the same month and this area is also well-lit at night.

Sgt Gammon added: “Kent Police does continue to work with Kent County Council on this issue, and we continue to research any evidence of a link between reduced street lighting and crime.

“However, based on the research completed to date, the analysis has been inconclusive.”

KCC now plans to invest £40 million to convert its 120,000 street lights to a LED lighting system.

It will soon become clear if they are related as LED lights will means all-night street lighting will return to residential roads but may be dimmed a little.