January 29, 2016 9.10 am This story is over 112 months old

Nine out of 10 burglaries in Lincolnshire remain unsolved, report claims

Unsolved burglary hotspot: Nine in 10 burglaries across Lincolnshire were not solved by police, according to figures published in a new report.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Nine in 10 burglaries across Lincolnshire were not solved by police, according to figures published in a new report.

Lincolnshire was named as the 10th worst police force authority for solving burglaries in the country in the survey carried out by Churchill Home Insurance.

The report claimed that police in England and Wales solved 12.2% of burglaries in the 12 months to March 2014.

In Wiltshire, just 8.3 in every 100 burglary crimes was solved, meaning the perpetrator was caught and a formal punishment such as being charged, fined, or cautioned was issued.

This makes it the police force authority with the lowest rate of solved burglaries over that period.

By contrast, more than three times that proportion (28.7%) of burglary crimes were solved in Dyfed-Powys police authority, which has the highest solved rate across England and Wales.

Martin Scott, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: “It’s important that householders are aware of the potential threats to their home, which vary significantly depending on where you live.

“There also appears to be quite a contrast between the highest and lowest authorities in terms of police officer cover, with some areas having more than double the number of full-time officers per head of the population than others.

“Victims of burglary don’t just suffer from financial loss but also emotional trauma, with many subsequently feeling insecure in their own home.

“While some items like electrical goods are easily replaced, others with sentimental value are often lost forever once stolen.”

Lincolnshire Police Press Officer Dick Holmes said: “The statistics on which this report are based cover 2013-14 and are therefore somewhat out of date.

“The latest figures show that Lincolnshire Police is performing in line with the national average which is currently shows the solved crime rate at around 12%.

“Together with our partners in the East Midlands police area and with the assistance of the public we constantly strive to bring more offenders to justice.

“We prioritise offences of violent crime and house burglaries which most of the public of Lincolnshire feel are amongst the most serious and distressing crimes.

“Lincolnshire remains one of the safest places to live and visit in the country.”