A POLICE sergeant in charge of tackling lawbreakers on a run-down estate has defended the area’s crime rates.

Last week, your favourite newspaper reported multi million pound regeneration plans from Broomleigh Housing Association for the Ramsden Estate in Orpington were back on track.

The area’s MP John Horam suggested crime rates in the area could fall as family housing began to replace flats and bedsits.

But the head of the Orpington Safer Neighbourhood Team says those living on the estate are no more likely to become victims of crime than elsewhere in the ward.

Sergeant Russell Lamb said: "Overall, Orpington is a safe ward and there are very few violent offences such as street robbery and assaults.

“The most impactive crimes across the ward are burglaries and motor vehicle crime.

“Although the number of offences committed is not huge, they do have a serious impact on the victims and can give an area a reputation that is undeserved.”

Car crime and burglaries

Last year, the ward saw 145 burglaries, while 289 vehicles were criminally damaged or had property stolen from them.

Mr Lamb said: “The Ramsden Estate suffers a slightly higher instance of these crimes than the rest of the ward, but then there is more densely populated housing.

“Motor vehicle crime features quite heavily in and around the Westwell Close area.”

He added: “Is the Ramsden Estate a safe place to live? Yes.

"Are you more likely to be a victim of crime if you live on the estate compared to the rest of the ward? No, the number of crimes compared to the number of residents is roughly comparable.”

The latest Met police figures show the Orpington ward has one of the highest crime rates in the borough behind Bromley Town, Penge and Cator, Crystal Palace and Cray Valley East.