Christmas Day Burglaries Remain Unsolved as Police Struggle to Act
Many families face heartbreak as police fail to solve Christmas Day burglaries, with detection rates dropping significantly over the years
Burglaries, Christmas Day, Police, UK, Thames Valley, Greater Manchester, Hampshire
London: This Christmas, families are feeling the sting of burglaries more than ever. New stats show that police are catching fewer thieves than before.
Last year, nearly 400 burglaries were reported on Christmas Day, but only one in ten led to a suspect being charged. That’s a big drop from three years ago when one in four cases were solved.
It seems thieves are taking advantage of empty homes during the holidays, sneaking in to grab presents left under the tree. The numbers are pretty shocking.
In fact, out of 386 burglaries last Christmas, only 35 resulted in charges. And that’s not even the full picture since some police forces didn’t share their data.
For instance, the Metropolitan Police reported 127 burglaries but only managed to charge eight suspects. They looked into 96 cases but couldn’t find anyone to pin it on.
In 18 cases, they had suspects but didn’t have enough evidence to take it to court. The rest are either still being investigated or hit a dead end.
Other police forces, like Lancashire and Essex, also reported zero charges for their Christmas Day burglaries. It’s a tough situation for everyone involved.
Merseyside Police had the best luck, managing to take eight of their 18 cases to court. But overall, the numbers are disheartening.
Kevin Moore, a retired detective, shared how devastating these break-ins can be, especially during the holidays. Families work hard all year to make Christmas special, only to have it ruined in minutes.
He noted that detection rates have plummeted, and police seem to be focusing on other crimes more than they used to. He also suggested that families can help protect themselves by keeping gifts out of sight when they’re not home.