Christmas burglary mystery for 900 victims over three years

Almost 900 Christmas Day burglaries have gone unsolved in the last three years, figures reveal.

Some 65,542 burglaries were committed over the last three Decembers, but 54,364 cases were closed with no suspect identified.

And on Christmas Days specifically across 2019, 2020 and 2021, 1,182 burglaries were reported – but 899 are unsolved. The Liberal Democrats revealed the Freedom of Information figures.

The results vary across the UK. While police in Powys, Wales, solved 95 per cent of December burglaries, the Metropolitan Police succeeded in just 14 per cent.

Almost 900 Christmas Day burglaries have gone unsolved in the last three years

Bedfordshire Police solved just 5 per cent – closing 908 cases without a suspect being identified. Only one Christmas Day burglary, out of 19 over three years, was solved.

The force said it attends every domestic break-in, and insisted figures for the last 12 months ‘show we have the highest solved rate for residential burglary of any police force in the country’.

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael told the Mail the data is a ‘damning indictment’ of the Government’s record on crime.

He said: ‘On Christmas Day it’s supposed to be Santa coming down the chimney, not a burglar through the window.

‘Burglaries are a horrid and intrusive crime that can have a long-lasting emotional impact on victims.

Liberal Democratic home affairs spokesman, Alistair Carmichael, told the Mail the data is a ‘damning indictment’ of the Government’s record on crime

‘To see so many burglaries going unsolved, especially during the festive period, is a damning indictment of this Government’s record on crime.

‘Time and time again the Conservatives have failed to tackle crime. Their inaction has led to thousands of criminals getting away with it and thousands of families waiting endlessly for justice that may never arrive.

‘The Liberal Democrats have a plan to tackle crime and crackdown on burglaries. We need a return to proper community policing on our streets and more support for our local police forces.’

Earlier this year the Mail revealed that an historic agreement had been signed with all 43 police chiefs in England and Wales to send officers to every residential burglary.

Martin Hewitt of the National Police Chiefs’ Council said he hoped the deal would mean more burglary cases reach court.

It came after figures were released showing police forces had failed to solve a single burglary in nearly half of the country’s neighbourhoods over the past three years.

Of more than 32,000 communities analysed, 16,000 – equivalent to 46 per cent – had all their burglary cases in a three-year period closed with no suspect charged by police.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘As the Home Secretary has made clear, we welcome the commitment for police attendance at home burglaries.

‘We continue to support the police, including through record investment and the recruitment of 20,000 additional officers by March 2023.’