A MASSIVE 20 per cent of the borough's crime is taking place on a single estate with police blaming “gang culture”.

Police are now asking residents to allow their homes to be turned into surveillance posts in a bid to stop the thugs who have taken over the Temple Hill estate.

Problems include burnt-out cars, smashed glass and graffiti. But officers promise to crack down on the gangs who “wear their criminal record as a badge of honour”.

Beat officer Colin Stroud told residents at a meeting: “If you look at the graffiti on the estate it tells you about the gangs.

“There's one called CIA which stands for Criminals in Action, and many of them wear their criminality as a badge of honour. I arrested a youth last week.

“His friends came out and congratulated him. Then he turned round to them and said 'now its your turn to get arrested'.”

Superintendent David Ainsworth said one way to deal with the problem would be to provide more things for teenagers to do.

Already some youths from the estate have been put on a fire brigade scheme, where they learn to use fire hoses and practice drill on the forecourt.

But Supt Ainsworth added: “If you make your homes available for covert surveillance, we will be able to arrest them with the proper evidence for the courts.”

Temple Hill Residents' Association chairman Ernie Hornby, 71, of Hill Top Gardens, Dartford, said: “The crime rate for our area is miles too high. Its completely out of order that 18 per cent of crime in Dartford borough happens on our estate.”

Dartford MP Dr Howard Stoate said: “Clearly crime is a problem and we are pleased the police have chosen to make the area a priority, providing a beat officer who can focus on the gang issue.”