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We are already attending all home burglaries, say police chiefs as other forces catch up

Staffordshire and West Mercia police forces have moved to reassure residents that officers already attend home burglaries - as senior chiefs nationwide pledged to follow suit.

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Staffordshire Police's headquarters in Stafford

Police chiefs across England and Wales have committed forces to attending all home burglaries in a new set of standards they hope will result in more of the crimes being solved and more offenders prosecuted.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said chief constables will work to ensure the approach is implemented “as soon as practically possible”.

Staffordshire Police force lead for burglary and business crime Chief Inspector Giles Parsons said: “Whilst Staffordshire is still one of the safest places to live and work in the country, we want the public to be confident that we are tackling offences such as burglary.

“We understand the devastating impact someone breaking into your home or business can have, and we will continue to prioritise preventing burglaries, targeting repeat offenders and organised crime groups, and solving as many burglaries as we can.

“In Staffordshire, we attend and investigate all burglary residential incidents unless there is an exceptional reason why the incident does not require us to do so.

“It’s also important for us to provide support to those victims who may be particularly vulnerable, such as the isolated elderly, and we continue to work alongside partners such as the Staffordshire Victim Gateway and Restorative Justice Service.

“I would also urge the public to continue to maintain and maximise their home and business security where possible in order to reduce the likelihood of them being a victim of this type of crime and report any suspicious incidents to the police.”

Chief Constable Pippa Mills, of West Mercia Police, said: "You may have seen news coverage this week around the police service and the response to home burglaries. We’re eager to make sure you know what we do as your local force respond to and tackle these crimes.

"Whilst the number of burglaries locally is low, the impact of being a victim can be devastating. That’s why it is our policy to attend all burglaries. We see the importance of this, both in terms of evidence gathering and in ensuring the right support is in place for victims and that we can help them feel safe in their homes.

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