Merseyside burglary rates at lowest level since 2018
612 arrests have been made in the last 12 months
Reports of burglary in Merseyside are at their lowest level since 2018, but police are warning that their work is far from done.
An operation was launched seven years ago to tackle the issue and since then, rates have fallen by 56% - including 16% in the last 12 months.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Ball, who oversees these burglary investigations, said:
"We have long made combating burglary a key priority because we understand how deeply invasive this crime is. Having someone enter your home and violate your personal space can be incredibly distressing for victims.
"This is why officers are sent to all reports of residential burglaries and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) attendance is also requested. There are very few instances when an officer would not visit, for example, if the person reporting isn't engaging with officers, which can make arranging a visit difficult, or they have specifically requested that an officer doesn't attend. Nevertheless, we would still explore opportunities for CSI to recover forensic evidence.
"It’s this commitment to maximising every opportunity to gather evidence and identify offenders that has helped us arrest 612 suspects in connection with burglary offences in the past year. Many of these investigations are complex and involve cross-border collaboration with other police forces and agencies."
Four of those 612 suspects were jailed for a combined 20 years at Liverpool Cronw Court last month.
DCI Ball added:
"While we're pleased with these results, we remain committed to driving burglary down further. Our message to would-be burglars is clear – our dedicated teams will use every tool at their disposal to ensure you are caught and put before the courts.
"Every burglary prevented means one less victim having to deal with the emotional and financial aftermath of this crime. We urge residents to take a few simple precautions and protect their homes from potential intruders."