The police in England and Wales will attend all home burglaries for the first time, following the recent release of crime figures.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) reviewed a report from the College of Policing on how to effectively solve burglary crimes, which revealed there is evidence it could help police catch more burglars.
According to the College of Policing, all domestic burglaries should be attended, as this will also improve support for victims. Urgency will be given to home burglaries, while thefts from outbuildings and garden sheds will be given less of a priority.
Chair of the NPCC Martin Hewitt stated that until now, some police forces have had limited resources to attend all burglaries.
However, he noted: “Burglary is invasive and can be deeply traumatic. We want to give people the peace of mind of knowing if you experience that invasion, the police will come, find all possible evidence, and make every effort to catch those responsible. That’s a critical part of the contract between the police and public.”
In order to do this, the NPCC is asking for support from the government to provide more resources to enable police forces to fulfil its commitment to the public. It also wants to be able to focus more on solving crime, as two-thirds of emergency calls to police departments are not about criminal activities.
Therefore, the NPCC wants other services to manage these issues, so the police can be left to solve illegal offences.
According to the Daily Mail, police have logged 1.76 million burglaries since 2017. However, just five per cent have led to criminal charges or a court summons being brought against the perpetrator.
Consequently, an average of 774 burglaries every day in England and Wales do not get resolved. In fact, the number of people convicted has dropped by 56 per cent over the last few years.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, there were 266,283 burglaries in the 12 months leading to March 2022, which while remaining the same as the previous year, is a 31 per cent decline on 2020’s figures.
Although burglaries have fallen by 51 per cent over the last ten years due to considerable prevention measures, it is still important these criminals are brought to justice, as their crime is intrusive and traumatic.
Chief executive officer of the College of Policing Andy Marsh stated: “It’s not just the loss of possessions but the way a burglary can steal a person’s sense of security from the place where they should feel safest.”
Indeed, NPCC’s lead for burglary, deputy chief constable Alex Franklin-Smith noted that being burgled can have a “significant and long-lasting effect on victims”.
This is why more criminals need to be brought to justice, as well as providing consistent treatment of all burglary calls, it was added.
Mr Marsh stated by following the investigative standards set by the College of Policing, this can be achieved, helping police to “deliver what the public expect”.
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