Wiltshire Police pledges to attend ALL reported home burglaries

The Force says it currently gets to around 89% of incidents

Author: Jack DeeryPublished 5th Oct 2022
Last updated 5th Oct 2022

Wiltshire Police has pledged to make personal visits to all victims of home burglaries across the county.

The National Police Chief's Council today (Wednesday 5th October) set out plans for all forces in the UK to hit the 100% mark.

Currently, Wiltshire Police says its officers attend 88.7% of domestic burglaries, with further action taken in just 3.9% of incidents.

There were 1,274 reported residential burglaries across the county in the 12 months to September 2022.

'We are determined to bring more criminals to justice'

Assistant Chief Constable Craig Dibdin said: "Anyone who has suffered a burglary will know the long-lasting impact it can have - knowing that someone has violated your home can be a hugely unsettling experience.

"Very often items that are stolen in a residential burglary have sentimental value ... this, coupled with the invasive nature of burglary, underlines why it is so important that we respond to such crimes as a priority.

"We are determined to bring more criminals to justice and support victims of such crimes".

The decision came following a review of evidence from the College of Policing (CoP) and in response to public opinion.

The CoP, which sets the standards for policing, revealed the benefits of officers attending domestic burglaries in a recent letter to all chiefs.

The letter said it can increase victim satisfaction, support investigations by preserving evidence and also help prevent future crimes in that area.

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