Some police constables could be inadvertently inflating criminal damage figures while trying to help people claim on their insurance.

A leaked memo sent by a Norwich-based inspector said officers were making life figures-wise by recording some incidents as crimes when they could be left off systems.

One example given in the memo suggested incidents where car windows are found damaged with no vehicle entry and no witnesses they should not be put down as criminal damage.

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: "There is absolutely no advantage to try to make out there is more crime if there isn't."

The Association of British Insurers responded to the development by saying not recording criminal damage to cars would not invalidate policies.

Vehicle vandalism is one of the most common offences in the UK, with 457,451 recorded incidents in the last year, although research suggests the real figure is much higher.

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