More burglary charges in Hampshire so far this year
The force has been attending every home burglary since last September
Hampshire Police say attending every report of a home burglary is proving successful - but the force admits there's 'more work to be done'.
Figures show there were 44 burglary charges in the first three months of this year across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
That's up from 36 in the same timeframe last year.
Overall, burglary reports dropped by 3.4% in the 12 months from April 2022 to April 2023 - with 5,653 crimes recorded.
But the force admit they need to do more. Detective Superintendent Tina Lowe said:
“We’re pleased that we have maintained our burglary attendance levels since the commitment was made to our communities last September ahead of a national adoption of the same approach later that month. However there is always more work to be done to tackle there kinds of offences. In a small number of cases it may be impractical for us to attend due to the length of time since the offence took place, or for example if the victim has a specific reason as to why they do not wish for us to attend because they would prefer instead to speak to officers at a police station.
“Our aims are to continue to reduce the number of burglaries taking place, charge more suspects, and ensure that victims receive a consistently high level of service in our response.
“As part of our commitment we have continued to invest in our teams that investigate burglary and have upskilled those officers that initially attend so that we can make the most of the lines of enquiry available at the earliest opportunity. This has translated into an increase in the number of burglaries that we solve, although forensic work can take some time to build into a case that is ready to take to court, so these figures should continue to improve over coming months.
“Every deployment is an opportunity to capture evidence, identify lines of enquiry and capture offenders and increase the number of cases in which formal action is taken. We also recognise that this approach helps victims to feel safer in their homes, which is a cornerstone of victim-focused policing. Our investigations will also allow us to clearly see links to other forms of criminality, such as drug supply or organised crime. By attending all residential dwelling burglary reports, we are sending a very clear message that we will not tolerate these crimes. We want to give ourselves the very best opportunity to disrupt and deter crime, and catch those criminals who are responsible."
Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said:
“As Commissioner, I made sure Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary was the first force in the country to make the commitment to attend every burglary because this is about getting the first response right.
“Whilst I’m pleased burglary reports have gone down and charges have gone up, the increase in charge rates isn’t good enough. Attending all burglaries is what victims of crime rightly expect, but it is only one part of the process. Investigations must be improved and expedited. I am speaking with the chief constable regularly to see where these improvements can be made over the coming months.”