Online maps reveal crime rates in your local area

Power to the people...

Online maps detailing local levels of crime are now available to the public across England and Wales, allowing residents to keep an eye on the performance of their police forces.

The maps allow people to view details of crime trends in all 43 local police force regions, including the volume of crime and comparisons with the rest of the country.

By typing in their postcode, users can access data down to ward level on crimes such as anti-social behaviour, burglary, robbery and vehicle crime.

The service will also provide information on how local crime-fighting partnerships are having an impact.

The plan was first announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in July and the Met Police launched a beta version of the service in August.

To see how the service works in London click here. For areas outside London, maps are available through the local police force website.