His pledge to reduce the yobbish mayhem and boy-racer activity that make our streets such an unnerving place to be at night is welcome, of course.

Insp Crick told town councillors that both problems have been high on his agenda since he arrived last month.

I wondered, then, how does that square with the experience of the leaders of Sudbury's Prince Street playgroup at the weekend?
They are pictured on our front page beside their smashed windows and glass-strewn floors and toys.

In the latest Saturday-night incident – the playgroup's fifth attack this year – drunken vandals threw bricks through the windows at St Gregory's church hall.

And just in case clearing up the mess wasn't depressing enough, the yobs had also urinated on the debris for good measure.

So what result do you think the good ladies of the playgroup had from their call to police to report the latest crime?

Well, as yet we can't tell you. Because, at the time of writing, not so much as a cursory visit had been made to the Prince Street crime scene by either a police officer or even a police community support officer.
No one doubts that Insp Crick and his officers have a challenging task ahead of them and it's easy to criticise.

Anti-social behaviour is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, problem facing ordinary, decent people – many of whom like a drink themselves.

We all know how the me-first youth culture of boozing until you fall over, and behaving like a complete moron without restraint, is embedded in British society. It's more than a case of high spirits and rite-of-passage hangover lessons for basically decent youngsters.

Insp Crick told Sudbury Town Council: "I have begun a purge on anti-social behaviour and we have already made inroads."

More inroads are needed, please.
The purge can't come quickly enough for the Prince Street Playgroup, I'll bet.