I had to listen to Southern Counties Radio news bulletins four times to make sure I had not misheard some incredible forecast from police crimestoppers.

They can predict one in ten people can expect to be victims of burglary during the festive period and will lose property to the value of £19 million.

I find these figures absolutely staggering, given Brighton and Hove's population of about 300,000. The police are predicting 30,000 burglaries. If, in fact, they meant one in ten properties, it is still a staggering figure.

Every tenth house or flat in every street in the city will be a burglary victim.

Crimestoppers must have got their incredible statistics from somewhere.

If it is just scaremongering to make people more security-aware, or is based on fact, what an indictment of what this city has become. Brighton and Hove City Council's policies, police, courts, social services, schools - all must surely hold up their hands to this truly appalling announcement.

Let's hope they are wrong. Happy Christmas.

-Gordon McPhee, Bennett Road, Brighton