Political opinion: Shocking figures show 79.97% burglaries in Sussex going unsolved

This item has been submitted by the Liberal Democrats. New Home Office statistics have revealed that a shocking 4,093 burglaries went unsolved across Sussex in the year ending June 2023. This is equivalent to 11 burglaries going unsolved in Sussex every single day. Meanwhile, just 254 cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed in the same time period - accounting for 4.96% of all burglaries in Sussex.

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The national figures paint a similarly dire picture. 76% of all burglaries across England and Wales went unsolved in the year ending June 2023, while just 6% of cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed.

Sussex’s Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative Government for these figures, arguing that years of ineffective resourcing have left local forces overstretched and unable to focus on crimes like burglaries.

This includes taking over 4,500 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) off the streets since 2015, and assigning just 12% of officers to neighbourhood policing teams.

The party is calling for a new “Burglary Response Guarantee,” under which all domestic burglaries would be attended by the police and properly investigated.

This would be accompanied by a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and focused on tackling neighbourhood crime.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate for Sussex Jamie Bennett said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and confident that if they are burgled, the criminal will swiftly face justice. It’s hard for people in Sussex to feel that confidence, thanks to these shocking figures.

“Yet again, this Conservative Government are failing to even get the basics right on cutting crime. It’s a shame that our communities are paying the price.

“People in Sussex deserve better - which is why the Liberal Democrats will keep fighting to restore proper community policing and implement our Burglary Response Guarantee. It’s the only way to bring an end to this shameful burglar bailout.”