Recent crime data released by the Home Office has exposed a disconcerting surge in unsolved burglaries.
Across England and Wales, a staggering 213,279 burglaries went unresolved in the 2022/2023 financial year, averaging 584 incidents per day.
Within this unsettling statistic lies the troubling reality that 1,534 of the reported 1,929 burglaries in Wiltshire remained unresolved, translating to an average of 4 unsolved cases occurring daily.
Published by the Home Office, the figures paint a grim picture of the situation in Wiltshire. Shockingly, a vast majority of burglary cases in the region, 80%, were closed without any identified suspects.
Equally concerning is the fact that during the same period, a mere 6% of burglaries in Wiltshire resulted in suspects being charged or summonsed.
Comparing the figures to the broader landscape, nearly 77% of burglaries across England and Wales went unsolved during the same period, revealing the magnitude of the issue on a national level. However, the rate of unsolved burglaries in Wiltshire surpasses the national average by over 3%.
Detective Superintendent Ben Mant, of Wiltshire Police said: “Following a review by the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs’ Council requested all forces attend all home burglaries last year. Wiltshire Police joined the national pledgeto commit to this and we are currently attending 100 per cent of all home burglaries where it is practical that police attend.
“Chief Constable Catherine Roper made burglary one of her key areas for operational delivery when she joined the Force earlier this year and as part of this, has overseen the introduction of the Force’s new team tackling Serious Youth and Gang Violence and Burglary. The unit has already seen some excellent results, which were published earlier this month with repeat offenders charged to court for burglary and related offences.
“Victims of burglary will often suffer with long-lasting impacts – knowing that someone has violated your home can often affect victims far beyond any financial damage caused. Our mission is to Keep Wiltshire Safe and this means helping people feel safe inside their own homes as well as out in our communities.
“We know that ensuring our officers attend burglaries at the earliest opportunity will not only provide reassurance, but also increase the chance of preserving potential evidence which could support a prosecution. Evidence also suggests this early attendance can deter future crimes in the area.”
