When news came out of the Met Police mapping crime rates in Camden I rushed to their website and found confirmation of something we already kind of knew: West Hampstead burglary rates are shockingly high. So is criminal damage. Our crime figures are high

When news came out of the Met Police mapping crime rates in Camden I rushed to their website and found confirmation of something we already kind of knew: West Hampstead burglary rates are shockingly high. So is criminal damage.

Our crime figures are higher than in neighbouring wards. One only has to cross West End Lane and go into Swiss Cottage or cross Finchley Road into Frognal and Fitzjohns, and burglaries are half as many, as is criminal damage. Indeed, West Hampstead is surprisingly even worse off then Kilburn! According to the Met, even Fortune Green has one and a half times the burglary rate of Swiss Cottage and twice the rate of criminal damage.

In their leaflets Lib Dem councillors throw a strop about the Conservatives raising the alarm over the Met's data that proves that crime is bad in our neighbourhoods, and that the police might actually close down the 999 station in Fortune Green.

They downplay our legitimate concerns, dismissing the information the Met Police carry on their own website, easily accessible to all.

Who should we residents trust: panicked local politicians or London's Metropolitan Police?

I also noticed with great concern the use of the word 'outsiders' in the Lib Dem leaflet. I am an 11-year resident of West Hampstead, with maybe a few more vowels in my name than most. I have lived in five different countries across two different continents.

It is with this life experience that I can say that nothing is more dangerous in a politician's mouth than the word 'outsider'.

London in general, and West Hampstead and Fortune Green in particular, are proud of their diversity and know of no 'outsiders'.

Giovanni Spinella

St James Mansions, West End Lane, NW6