By Tess Rushin, LDRS

Nearly four out of every five car thefts remain unsolved by Leicestershire Police, Home Office data has revealed.

Hundreds of these crimes were reported to police but fewer than 25 ended in someone getting charged or summoned to court.

The statistics, which cover the three months to June last year, showed there were 542 thefts reported in Leicestershire. However, the data showed that nearly 77 per cent went unsolved – with just 22 resulting in someone being charged by officers or summoned to court. That's the equivalent of just 4.1 per cent.

Local figures reflect the national picture, with some 24,837 car thefts not solved across the country in the same time period. That works out to 78.5 per cent – nearly four in five – of the 31,654 total thefts.

Leicestershire Police says it is continuing to identify hotspots where vehicle crime is prevalent in a bid to combat car theft. The force said it was also carrying out enhanced patrols in those areas.

Detective Chief Inspector Rich Jackson, the force's lead for vehicle crime, said: "We fully understand the consequences that the theft of a vehicle can have on people living in our communities – both from a social and economic point of view. We know that criminals operate across force boundaries and Leicestershire Police is continuing to work with colleagues from neighbouring forces as well as the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) to identify those responsible.

"We are continuing to identify hotspots where vehicle crime is prevalent and are responding by carrying out enhanced patrols in those areas. We have recently carried out a number of enforcement operations which led to several people being arrested and vehicles being recovered."

The Home Office data has been revealed after the Lib Dems initially undertook research into the crime. They have blamed the former Conservative Government for slashing local police numbers and has called on the new Labour Government to urgently restore community policing.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has set a target to deliver 13,000 additional officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales over this Parliament. The PM also pledged to provide a named officer for every neighbourhood to tackle crime in that area.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Vehicle theft is a distressing crime and we understand the impact it has on individuals, businesses and industry. We are working closely with the National Police Chiefs' Council to prevent and reduce vehicle crime nationally through a National Vehicle Crime Working Group. This includes training police officers on methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles and working with industry to prevent theft."

Categories: Crime