LOW-level crimes are at risk of going unreported as thousands of calls go unanswered by police.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that average waiting times for calls to GMP’s non-emergency 101 number increased to five minutes and 30 seconds in June - an increase of 64 per cent.

The longer waiting times corresponded with an 18 per cent rise in the number of ‘dropped calls’, in which the public hung up before being connected.

Between January and May, a total of 54,715 calls to 101 were abandoned - an average of 10,943 calls every month.

There is growing concern that the number of abandoned calls from victims and witnesses means low-level crimes may be going unreported.

This is a concern for GMP because calls to 101 help build up information and data on low level crime, such as anti-social behaviour, which has become a blight on Trafford’s communities.

The decline in people reporting incidents means that GMP might not be able to effectively plan resources as part of their community policing strategy.

GMP launched a new initiative on December 27 last year, which enabled residents to report non emergencies via an online chat platform rather than phoning 101.

From January to May, 2018, a total of 12,882 reports were made using this new online service, which accounted for 2.4 per cent of total calls to GMP.

The online chat platform has much lower waiting times as the operators are able to handle multiple chats at the same time.

Calls to 999 are for emergencies only in which a crime is taking place at that time, or if there is an immediate risk to life or property. Non emergencies or crimes that have happened in the past can be reported via 101.

GMP has suffered budget cuts of approximately £180 million over recent years, with 1,000 officers cut from the force.

GMP has been approached for comment.