‘Disgrace’ as police write off 12,500 burglaries in 6 months MP hits out at budget cuts as force now solves less than 1 in 20 break-ins
WEST Midlands Police have written off almost 12,500 burglaries in the last six months, its has been revealed.
Figures show the police are solving fewer than one in 20 burglaries, with a Birmingham MP claiming the force has now “lost control” of crime.
The cuts-hit force received 14,081 reports of break-ins at domestic and business properties between January 1 and June 30 this year.
But just 643 were solved in terms of either charges, cautions, community resolutions or offences being taken into consideration.
An astonishing 12,483 cases were dropped after being categorised as ‘filed, no suspect, no further inquiries’.
Other cases had to be dropped because suspects could not be positively identified, it was not in the public interest to proceed or, on one occasion, the suspect died.
The clear-up rate of less than five per cent has been condemned as a ‘disgrace’ by Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood.
“These figures are a complete disgrace and clearly show the force is unable to function properly because of budget cuts,” said the Labour MP.
“The Chief Constable and Police Commissioner have both said they are worried about cuts.
“But it is now time for them to write directly to the Home Secretary, making clear they are not able to ensure the safety and security of the public they serve.
“The burglary statistics are part of a very serious picture. Violent and knife crime is out of control.
“A grandmother has just been knifed to death; a young man in my constituency has just been shot in his own house; a young woman has just been killed by a car being pursued by police. Lawlessness has become the norm and it cannot be allowed.”
When asked if the force had lost control of crime, the MP said: “It is obvious that is the case.”
The burglary figures were released in a Freedom of Information request published on the force website.
They show that of the 14,081 burglary reports, just 551 led to a charge or summons for an alternative offence. A further ten people were cautioned and seven offenders accepted a community resolution. A total of 75 cases were classed as TICs – admitted by offenders and taken into consideration at court where they faced other offences.
By comparison the force was solving one in ten burglaries in 2008, the year of the banking collapse which later sparked austerity cuts for public services.
Since 2010 the West Midlands force has seen £140 million of cuts to its budget, leading to huge reductions in staffing.
Just last week, the force’s chief constable admitted financial constraints meant the public were sometimes getting a “poor service”.
Chief Constable Dave Thompson apologised to the public and said fewer officers were policing a “wider spread of crime”.
He said he was “drawing the bar higher” on what would be investigated, meaning not every crime would be looked into.
West Midlands Police said in a statement : “We fully understand how being a victim of burglary can be very distressing.
“We launched the crime prevention scheme, Track And Trace, in spring which has seen forensic property kits handed out to residents.
“The home coding kits come with a DNA solution – each with its own unique DNA profile – that can be dabbed on valuable items to deter thieves, help police recover any stolen items and link offenders to break-ins.
“This is part of our ongoing efforts to drive down crime in key areas and make communities safer and we will soon be evaluating the success of this scheme.”
These figures clearly show the force is unable to function properly because of budget cuts