Eight in ten London burglaries go unsolved as Lib Dems take aim at Tories over crime
More than 80 per cent of reported burglaries in London went unsolved last year, it was revealed on Tuesday.
Richmond was the worst hit borough in the capital with no suspect being charged in almost nine out of ten of the 1,302 burglaries there in 2023.
This was followed by Kingston, Merton and Barnet, data obtained under freedom of information laws revealed.
Islington saw the most burglaries solved, but 70 per cent still went answered.
In 19 boroughs no thieves were brought to justice in more than 80 per cent of the reported crimes.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new a Burglary Response Guarantee, which would mean that all domestic burglaries must be attended by an officer and properly investigated.
Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney said: “Thousands of households across London are now living in fear after the Conservatives have decimated frontline policing for too long.
“Criminals are being let off the hook because ministers have effectively decriminalised burglary. That is why the Liberal Democrats would deliver a Burglary Response Guarantee, to ensure all home burglaries are attended by the police and properly investigated.
“People have a right to feel safe in their own homes and want this appalling Conservative government to be kicked out of office.”
To implement the guarantee, the party vowed to reinvigorate community policing to ensure officers had the resources to focus on preventing and solving crime.
It would be allied to a new strategy to tackle the shortage of detectives and the set up a new national Online Crime Agency.
The Metropolitan Police’s solve rate was better than forces in the commuter belt.
Former justice secretary Dominic Raab’s Elmbridge constituency in Surrey had the biggest proportion of unsolved burglaries last year at 92 per cent.
Policing minister Chris Philp said the Lib Dem proposals were a “cynical statement” from a party who “do not have a plan” to tackle crime.
Ten worst London boroughs for unsolved burglaries
Borough | Total Burglaries | Number Unsolved |
Richmond | 1,302 | 1,132 (87%) |
Kingston | 836 | 711 (85%) |
Merton | 890 | 751 (84%) |
Barnet | 2,522 | 2,118 (84%) |
Wandsworth | 2,315 | 1,920 (83%) |
Southwark | 2,620 | 2,162 (83%) |
Kensington & Chelsea | 1,552 | 1,289 (83%) |
Haringey | 1,816 | 1,484 (82%) |
Hillingdon | 1,425 | 1,172 (82%) |
Waltham Forest | 1,409 | 1,161 (82%) |
