No burglaries solved in 50% of all communities despite 'cops at every scene' vow

04 March 2024 , 21:25

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Crims can get away with our belongings and not worry about arrest (Image: Getty Images)

Police failed to solve a single burglary in nearly half of all neighbourhoods since 2021, figures reveal.

Despite chiefs promising officers would attend all domestic break-ins in 2022, none were solved in 15,371 out of 31,860 neighbourhoods – just over 48%.

Home Office figures also show that burglaries resulting in a charge fell to 3.9% in 2023, down from 4.6% in 2022. Former Victims’ Commissioner Dame Vera Baird said: “What these figures show is that in half of the neighbourhoods, burgling somebody’s home is a free hit. The criminal can walk away with the proceeds and never look back.”

“Burglary can be very traumatising. It can make people afraid to go out in case it happens again and afraid to stay at home for the very same reason. Why are there no arrests, no prosecutions and no deterrence in almost half of these cases?”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council claimed the amount of burglaries was falling. Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith said: “There’s been a shift in the right direction.”

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But the proportion of neighbourhoods where no burglaries were solved actually rose slightly from 46% in 2018-2023, according to analysis by the Daily Telegraph.

The Home Office said: “We have been clear that police must take a zero-tolerance approach to all crimes. We welcome the police commitment to attend every home burglary.”

Tom Pettifor