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Burglaries go unsolved
Tuesday 29th December 2009, 11:29AM GMT.
Almost 90 per cent of all burglaries committed in the West Midlands go unpunished with no suspect ever being caught, shock new figures show today.
Of 103,000 break-ins across the region in the last three years, only 10,941 have ended with people being charged.
The figures, which also show the total number of burglaries has fallen over the last three years, were released under the Freedom of Information Act.
In 2006-07 there were 36,604 break-ins, with 3,768 charges. The following year 35,384 properties were broken into, with 3,304 suspects charged. In 2008-09, 31,573 burglaries took place, with 3,869 charged.
They include both business and home burglaries, while the charge numbers take into account warnings, cautions and other punishments, as well as suspects who have eventually ended up in court.
Hannah Green, of Victim Support, said: “Burglary victims will be disappointed if their case does not result in a charge.”
But West Midlands Police said the figures did not give a true reflection.
Chief Inspector Mark Payne said burglars who police knew had committed a spree of break-ins might only be charged with fewer offences because of insufficient evidence.
He said: “Burglary has reduced significantly over the last three years.
“We are confident that we know exactly who are committing these crimes on 99 per cent of occasions and when we go and target these people, a burglary spree in a specific area does stop.”
Rob Marris, MP for Wolverhampton South West, said: “It is a concern because it suggests there is no real deterrent.”
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For anybody who has been burgled, this comes as no suprise.
If this is your MP, kick him out.
Rob Marris, MP for Wolverhampton South West, said: “It is a concern because it suggests there is no real deterrent.”
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Chief Inspector Mark Payne the figures do give a true reflection, it shows that west midlands police shy away from real crime, stopping motorists or anything that will make them money from fines rather than fight real crime, they don’t like the paperwork that does with a real arrest, its easier to give a ticket, believe me I’ve seen them in action and they really are a waste of space these days.
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Sentences for crime are too lenient, the whole body of law and order is farcical. You stand more chance of being fined for dropping paper on the street pavement than if you committed a burglary.
The fact of the matter is that there is no money in catching a burglar but, car parking offences is a source of revenue!
As for Mr Marris’s coment, what are you going to do about it? Talk of action?
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Until the general consensus is that a burglar leaves is Human Rights behind the moment he breaks into a property, it will never change, when burglaries see their colleagues getting a dam good thrashing at the hands of the house holder, and the police and courts supporting the property holder for a change, wheres the deterrent?
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Very well said number 2. The police are far too busy raising revenue from victimless crimes to catch the real scumbags whom actually do leave victims from their crimes.
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Every single police force in the the UK is now a corporation and the main objective of any corporation is to raise as much profit as possible, that’s why there are more and more fines being handed out for wearing no seatbelt whilst in a vehicle and less and less arrests being made of the real hardcore criminals.
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Here,Here, PHilh.
if the police put in as much effort in catching real criminals as they do in catching motorists. Crime figures would fall and may be criminals may think twice before embarking on criminal ventures.
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if anybody came in my house i would take the law into my own hands and cave they heads in only law these theives understand beat there heads pulp
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In America you still have the right to kill any unwanted hostile intruder – there are not many Burglaries in the USA. This is also the case in other so called civil societies. What happened to the right to defend ” the englishman’s castle”…
Also what happened to Prevention – the police have forgotten that their decree is to ” protect and serve” shame on them.
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It is not the sentance that is a deterrent to any law breaker it is the chances of getting caught
This shows that we are becoming more lawless and the type of policing and plice policies are not working and have not been working since the 1980′s
The new civilian staff at Police station deter the reporting of crime by giving out mis information – the are just like bad Doctors receptionists-
These figures only show the reported crimes, many people do not report crimes as they know the police will have more excuses NOT to act than one one could ever think up
I agree every Police force in the country now is a Corporation that puts ikmage and costs before protecting and serving the community
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But the fact that burglaries have fallen by 15% in three years is surely a good sign?
Doesn’t that mean either the police are doing a better job, society’s improving or the court are proving to be a better deterrent?
Have I missed anything??
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If you know who’s guilty 99% of the time..why do 90% still go unsolved..insufficient evidence? Pull the other one. There’s no insufficient evidence when the tax office wants it’s trough filling up, or when people drop little to be slapped with £80+ fines.
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The chiefs talk about confidence..I think that most people have lost it, that the figures here practically speak for themselves (even after they’ve been ‘smoothed over’).
The reality is that if you live in certain areas – and police stations are off-limits – then you have no hope in hell of a reasonable outcome in the event of a criminal act being committed.
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