MORE than 140,000 incidents of antisocial behaviour were recorded by Hampshire police last year, new figures have revealed.

Statistics showed 142,061 complaints of aggression, yobbishness and intimidation were made in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight – the seventh highest in the country.

But the real figure could be much higher, because so few people actually tell police when incidents occur.

The British Crime Survey found nearly three-quarters of people who experience antisocial behaviour do not report it to the police.

Across England and Wales, there were 3.8m incidents in 2007/8, according to the figures, revealed by the Conservative party.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: “We recognise the harm antisocial behaviour can cause to individuals and communities and are committed to dealing with it. Every neighbourhood across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has its own Safer Neighbourhood Team made up of local police officers, police community support officers and other police staff.

“They work with the community and partner agencies through Crime Reduction Partnerships to find long-term solutions to the priorities for that area, many of which relate to antisocial behaviour.

“The emphasis of this work is on tackling the root cause of the problem and can include the use of acceptable behaviour contracts and injunctions as well as antisocial behaviour orders and dispersal orders.

“Police community support officers have also proved effective in patrolling specific areas where problems arise.”

He added: “In May 2006, Hampshire Constabulary became one of the first forces in the country to introduce 101, the single non-emergency telephone number, which encourages people to report antisocial behaviour and community safety issues.

“In 2007/08, 221,000 calls were made to 101 of which 38,000 related to incidents of rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour.”

All calls help to build a picture of crime and disorder so that police and local authority patrols can be in the right place at the right time.”