In a recent address, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has emphasized the imperative of comprehensive investigations into every theft and the pursuit of all viable
leads to apprehend criminals. Braverman has voiced her discontent with the prevailing situation where perpetrators frequently operate with impunity, undermining the rule of law. She is advocating for law enforcement to utilize evidence from smart doorbell cameras and dashboard cameras (dashcams) to bolster efforts in solving lower-level criminal offenses.
However, this approach has sparked concerns that directing resources towards investigating such theft cases might inadvertently divert attention and resources from crimes of greater magnitude, including rape and sexual assault. The emphasis on theft investigations is being critiqued for potentially detracting from addressing more serious and harmful crimes.
The Labour Party has criticized this stance as a "staggering admission of 13 years of Tory failure on policing and crime," implying that the current government has not effectively tackled these issues over the past decade.
Statistics reveal that in the year leading up to March, a mere 4.4% of theft offenses culminated in formal charges being filed. New guidelines pertaining to the investigation of theft-related crimes are set to be issued to all police forces across England and Wales. This initiative stems from discussions held between the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs' Council, and the College of Policing.
Suella Braverman underscored the significance of treating all crimes, regardless of their scale, with seriousness. She stressed that the police must explore every rational avenue of inquiry, highlighting the utilization of evidence like CCTV footage, doorbell videos, and phone location tracking to identify potential suspects.
Braverman also pointed to instances where victims of theft report their losses to the police only to receive a crime reference number for insurance purposes, which she deems unacceptable. Home Office data for the year ending in March 2023 highlights that a striking 73.7% of theft cases were closed due to an inability to identify suspects.
The low success rates in charging suspects are evident across various categories, with only 3.9% of residential burglaries leading to charges, 1.8% for vehicle theft, and a mere 0.9% for thefts from individuals.
Critics, including Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, have expressed the view that pursuing reasonable leads, such as those involving CCTV evidence, should already be part of standard police procedure.
While the UK government reached its goal of recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers, concerns have been raised regarding the departure of experienced officers between 2010 and 2019. These losses could potentially impact overall police performance. The Home Secretary affirmed that England and Wales currently boast the highest number of police officers in history, yet she emphasized the need to streamline resources for more efficient and effective policing.
Despite concerns that intensifying efforts to combat theft may come at the expense of tackling more severe offenses, Braverman has reassured the public that the focus on theft investigations will not diminish the resources allocated to addressing violent and complex crimes.
Experts and officials, including Lisa Townsend, Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner, have emphasized the need for a balanced approach. While recognizing the potential for varying interpretations of what constitutes "reasonable" investigation, Townsend highlighted the importance of basing investigative decisions on assessments of threats, harm, and risk.
In a climate where mobile phone theft has become alarmingly frequent, with London's Metropolitan Police reporting an average of 250 mobile phones stolen daily, the debate around resource allocation and investigation priorities continues. Photo by UK Government, Wikimedia commons.