New analysis from the Liberal Democrats has revealed that a staggering 4,535 burglaries went unsolved across Avon and Somerset in the year ending September 2023. 

This means that on average, a whopping 12 burglaries went unsolved every single day in the jurisdiction of Avon and Somerset Police, which includes Bath. Meanwhile, only 351 burglaries resulted in a suspect being charged - equivalent to just 6% of cases. The Bath MP, Wera Hobhouse, has slammed the Conservative Government for these alarming figures, arguing that years of ineffective resourcing have left local police forces overstretched and unable to focus on frontline crime like burglaries. This includes taking 5% of police community support officers (PCSOs) off the streets in Avon and Somerset since 2015. This means that as of September 2023, there are only 313 PCSOs on the streets of Avon and Somerset. The Liberal Democrats are demanding a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and focused on tackling neighbourhood crime. The party is also calling for a new “Burglary Response Guarantee,” under which all domestic burglaries would be attended by the police and properly investigated.

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented: “With the vast majority of burglaries still going unsolved in our community, too many people feel unsafe in their own homes. “Time and again, this Conservative Government has failed to deliver the absolute basics of stopping and solving crime. But enough is enough. “Bath deserves better. It’s high time to bring an end to this shameful burglar bailout - which is why Liberal Democrats will keep pushing the Conservatives to implement our Burglary Response Guarantee and get more bobbies on the beat.”