Majority of burglaries go unsolved in Sussex

1300 burglaries in Sussex went unsolved in the first three quarters of 2023, shocking figures show.

Of the two thousand burglaries reported in that time period, only 53 resulted in a charge or summons. And 1300 investigations were closed without even identifying a suspect - meaning 65% of burglaries went unsolved.

The Liberal Democrats have also uncovered shocking figures on police attendance of burglaries. Nationally, almost four in ten burglaries in the country did not result in a visit to the scene by a police officer. The figures were based on data provided by 19 police forces in England. Sussex police did not provide data. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new “Burglary Response Guarantee,” which would create a guarantee that all domestic burglaries are attended by the police and properly investigated.

This will require a return to proper community policing - where officers are visible, trusted, and have the time and resources needed to focus on solving crime.

Since 2015, the Conservatives have taken over 4,000 Police Community Support Officers off the streets. They also look set to break their key promise of an extra 20,000 police officers by the end of March 2023. 

Commenting Liberal Democrat Spokesperson John Milne for Horsham said:  

“It is shocking that so many burglaries in our community are going unsolved. Even worse is that so many aren’t even getting a police visit.

“Many families across Sussex now feel unsafe in their own homes, because this Conservative government has left our police forces overstretched and under-resourced. Far too many victims are being denied justice and far too many criminals are getting away with it.

“The Liberal Democrats would ensure that if people are burgled, they know the police will attend the scene and investigate properly. More and more people across Sussex are turning to the Liberal Democrats, because they know we work hard for our communities, we hear your concerns, and we never take you for granted.”