Theft arrests in Derbyshire more than halved in last five years, new figures show

Derbyshire Constabulary made 1,254 arrests for theft offences in the 12 months to March, Home Office figures show. This figure equates to a 53 per cent in the last five years – with the number of arrests down from 2,693 in 2017-18. However the number of theft offences logged fell by only 19 per cent, from 26,769 in 2017-18 to 21,758 last year.

Decreasing arrest figures followed the trend across England and Wales – where the number of arrests fell by 37 per cent to 88,914 over the same period.

Charge rates for thefts are very low across the country, with just 4.4 per cent of offences with a recorded outcome resulting in a charge or summons nationally in the year to March. In Derbyshire, 6 per cent led to a charge or summons.

Commenting on the Derbyshire figures, a Derbyshire Constabulary spokesperson said the force was “committed” to preventing and investigating serious acquisitive crime and took matters of theft and burglary “incredibly seriously”.

They added: “Earlier this year we introduced Neighbourhood Acquisitive Crime Teams (NACTs) to target offences such as burglary, robbery and theft.

"We now also have a dedicated team of intelligence officers allocated to acquisitive crime research (burglary, theft, robbery offences) who support the NACT teams in identifying trends, hotspot areas and key suspects to enable them to take proactive action.

“As well as arrests, we also make use of banning orders from stores which have been targeted and Criminal Behaviour Orders, which are imposed by the court in cases where we see persistent and prolific offenders.

“We are committed to tackling the crimes that affects our communities the most and will make arrests and bring those who have offended to justice.”

In August, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman said every theft must be investigated, adding it was "completely unacceptable" that some crimes have been effectively legalised.

Ms Braverman told BBC Breakfast: "There is no such crime as minor crime – whether it's phone theft, car theft, watch theft, whether it's street-level drug-dealing or drug use, the police must now follow every reasonable line of inquiry."

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, council lead for acquisitive crime at the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: "We recognise how invasive and traumatic it is to be a victim of burglary and theft, and we are already investing significant resources in preventing and investigating serious acquisitive crime.

"Burglary levels have fallen by 51 per cent over the past decade due to this increased investment, and all police forces in England and Wales are now attending every home burglary. It is for individual chief constables to manage demand within their force and prioritise their resources, drawing on the support of national standards and guidance.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Since 2010 our communities are safer, with theft offences down by 47 per cent and robbery down by 81 per cent.

"We have also delivered more police officers in England and Wales than ever before and the police have committed to attend all home burglaries and pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to ensure more crimes are solved and public confidence is improved."