Shoplifting Cases on the Rise
More than 200,000 shoplifting cases went unsolved in the past year, according to new figures. This marks a five-year high and has sparked concerns among MPs about a "growing crime epidemic".
Shocking Statistics
Home Office statistics reveal that over the last 12 months, an average of 560 cases of shoplifting went unsolved every day. These unsolved cases make up 57% of total crimes without conviction in England and Wales.
Decline in Charges
The figures also show that only around one in seven thefts ended in a suspect being charged or summonsed, a decrease from 19% in 2019.
Reduced Police Presence
Since 2015, over 4,000 community support officers have been taken off the streets, impacting the ability to tackle shoplifting. Additionally, just 12% of officers in England and Wales are assigned to frontline neighborhood policing teams.
Government Response
In October, the government announced the creation of a new police taskforce, called 'Pegasus', to address the issue of shoplifting. However, the funding allocated for this initiative is only £30,000 per year, equivalent to just 8p per theft.
Calls for Action
Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, expressed concern over the rising number of unsolved shoplifting cases and the impact on communities. Carmichael called for a return to "proper policing" and emphasized the importance of investing in frontline officers to effectively combat crime.
"If the Conservative party was serious about stopping shoplifting, they would give up the gimmicks and invest in frontline policing instead," Carmichael added.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://hellofaread.com/politics/victims-face-agonizing-waits-as-court-backlog-doubles/
