Police ‘fail to investigate in two-thirds of burglaries’ shocking new data reveals

COPS are failing to investigate two thirds of burglaries properly, shocking new data has revelaed.

In the last two years, the number of unsolved domestic burglaries has risen almost 20 per cent, while in some areas, nine out of ten cases are written off without any action.

The stark data comes after a pensioner was released without charge tonight after a burglar was fatally stabbed in south east London.

Henry Vincent, 38, died after suffering a stab wound during the botched burglary on 78-year-old Richard Osborn-Brooks' home in South East London, but police today confirmed the OAP would face no further action after he was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday.

According to , after years of decline, burglary has suddenly seen a sharp upturn with more than 400,000 crimes recorded last year - around half of which took place at people's homes.

But despite the surge in offences, many forces have stopped routinely attending burglaries, opting instead to deal with victims on the phone.

And in the majority of those cases, if there was no obvious forensic evidence immediately available, or no CCTV in the surrounding area, detectives would not spend time looking for the culprit.

Official statistics for England and Wales, 127,617 burglary investigations were closed last year without any suspects being identified - an increase of more than 35,000 cases since 2014.

According to the paper, victims of domestic burglaries were simply informed by police that there were "no investigative opportunities available", and a recent report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services found that where officers did attend burglaries they were arriving so late they missed crucial investigative opportunities.

But in many cases victims were simply put through to a call handler who took their details and then supplied them with a crime number - and in cases where a full investigation was opened, only six per cent resulted in a prosecution.

While police leaders have said they continue to "take burglary seriously", dwindling budgets are pushing forces to prioritise more serious crimes such as terrorism, violent crime and sexual offences.

Previously, Leicestershire Police were criticised three years ago for only responding to burglaries at homes with even numbers while the Met came under fire last year when it announced it would no longer respond to low-level crimes if the victims were not in danger and no suspect could be easily identified.

And experts have warned that this policy is emboldening burglars, and leading to the surge in offences.

Diana Fawcett, from the charity Victim Support, said: “Burglary not only robs victims of their physical possessions, it can also rob people of their sense of security at home... It’s vitally important that all reports of burglary are taken seriously and that victims have access to the support they need to help them cope and recover.”

Baroness Newlove, the victims’ commissioner, also hit out at the lack of personal response from the police when someone is burgled, saying "getting a phone call or an email is not the same as a face to face response."

Simon Kempton from the Police Federation, told The Telegraph: "The impact on victims is massive particularly if the person is vulnerable and we should be doing everything possible to bring burglars to justice.

"It is soul destroying as a police officer to feel as if you are letting people down. Burglary victims often end up getting dealt with over the phone, but if someone wants to see a police officer they should be able to see one, they pay for us after all. It raises fundamental questions about what we want from the police service."

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