Vehicle crime epidemic: 140,000 car and bike thefts
unsolved last year
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New figures reveal 77,300 car thefts and 63,500 bike
thefts went unsolved last year
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Only 3.9% of car thefts lead to someone being
charged, down from 6.8% five years ago
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Conservatives accused of allowing criminals to steal
vehicles on “an industrial scale”
Shocking new figures have revealed a “vehicle crime epidemic,”
with over 140,000 car and bike thefts going unsolved by police
last year.
More than three quarters of car theft cases (77,318) and nine in
ten bike thefts (63,481) were closed without a suspect being
identified.
The Liberal Democrats said the figures showed the Conservatives
were soft on crime and are letting criminals get away with
stealing vehicles on an “industrial scale.” The party is calling
for more investment in community policing, ahead of the local
elections on Thursday.
The figures also show a dramatic fall in the proportion of
vehicle theft cases resulting in criminals being charged. Only
1.8% of bicycle thefts in 2021 led to someone being charged, down
from 2.5% in 2017. Meanwhile just 3.9% of car thefts led to
someone being charged, down from 6.8% five years ago.
The analysis of new Home Office statistics by the Liberal
Democrats finds that over the past five years, a total of 806,288
vehicle theft cases have been closed by the police without a
suspect being identified.
West Midlands Police and the Metropolitan Police were the worst
forces for solving car thefts, with 89% of cases unsolved last
year. The two forces were joined by Sussex Police for the highest
rate of unsolved bike thefts, at 95%.
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson said:
“These shocking figures show criminals are getting away with
stealing cars and bikes on an industrial scale. It is a vehicle
theft epidemic that is blighting communities around the country.
“It shows the Conservatives are soft on crime and soft on
criminals.
“The Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper
community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and
focused on cutting crime. The Government should give forces the
resources they need to make sure that every crime is
investigated.
“We must reverse years of Conservative neglect that have made our
communities less safe and let far too many criminals get away
with it.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Liberal Democrat analysis of outcomes recorded for theft of a
motor vehicle and bicycle theft offences, by police force for
each of the last 5 years (2017-2021), is available here.
The Liberal Democrats are urging a return to community policing,
with a three-point plan to crack down on crime and anti-social
behaviour and reverse years of Conservative neglect:
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Restore proper community policing, where officers are more
visible, trusted and known personally to local people.
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Reverse Conservative cuts to youth services by investing an
extra £500 million a year via a ring-fenced fund to Local
Authorities
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Scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and use the £50 million
savings to invest in frontline policing and solving crimes.
