But many living in communities which suffer such issues feel isolated and unable to stop the problems.

Now the community safety partnership in Cardiff is launching a drive to encourage people to set up neighbourhood watch scheme as a way of preventing the anti-social behaviour in their area.

Although there are already more than 900 schemes operating in the city there is a need for more in certain areas.

In Fairwater there are 276 schemes running, with 224 in Llanishen.

But in Ely, only 50 schemes are in place with 42 in Rumney and just 16 in Cathays.

John Munston, who co-ordinates such groups in the east of the city said that the schemes are a vital tool for local communities to help tackle the problems of anti-social behaviour and crime.

"Neighbourhood watch schemes make a tremendous amount of difference to communities - it really does unite people," he said.

Mr Munston said that since the neighbourhood watch scheme was set up in the area of the city he lives in, residents have seen a decrease in the amount of anti-social in the area.

"The great thing about such schemes is that people can spend as much or as little time as they want on getting involved," he said.

Crime reduction

Roy Rudham from the National Neighbourhood Watch Association added: "A recent nationwide survey showed that members of neighbourhood watch were far less likely to be victims of crime than members of the general public," he said.

The Cardiff Community Safety Partnership is urging communities across the city to set up their own neighbourhood watch schemes.

Councillor Judith Woodman from Cardiff Council said: "Neighbourhood watch schemes undoubtedly make a difference to the quality of life in communities throughout Cardiff.

"By introducing more schemes to the city, this recruitment drive will help to increase the impact this vital voluntary movement has in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour," she added.

Neighbourhood watch is the largest community-based, voluntary movement in the UK. Official statistics from the British Crime Survey estimate that there are around 160,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in the country covering six million households.