Car thieves “getting away with it” as just 5% charged
Leicestershire's Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservatives of letting their communities down as new analysis reveals that just 5% of car thefts in Leicestershire result in a charge.
Analysis of official Home Office data by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that In the first three quarters of 2022, 1,365 car thefts were reported in Leicestershire. Only 5% of cases resulted in a charge or summons.
Meanwhile, 926 cases were closed without a suspect being identified - equivalent to 3 car thefts going unsolved in the county every day.National figures paint a similarly grim picture, with only 2% of all car thefts in the first three quarters of 2022 resulting in a charge - down from 4% in that same period in 2022.
Leicestershire' s Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservatives for the stark figures, after years of their cuts have left police forces overstretched and under-resourced.
The party is calling for a return to proper community policing - where officers are visible and have the time to focus on preventing and solving crimes - so that criminals can no longer act with impunity.
Commenting on the figures, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Leicestershire County Council Cllr Michael Mullaney said:
"The Government is asleep at the wheel. Criminals are getting away with almost every car theft in Leicestershire - which is an outrageous failure."
"These thieves have brought misery to our communities, and must be caught and punished. But the local police are too overstretched to actually catch the criminals. By slashing community officer numbers, the Conservatives are only benefiting the criminals. It's estimated Leicestershire Police receive £18 million less in funding than they would if they got the average level of funding. This is another example of how people in Leicestershire are being short-changed and taken for granted by the Conservative government."
"We need a fairly funded police force and a return to proper community policing, with visible officers who are preventing and tackling crime."
A Hinckley County Councillor has renewed calls for a safe road crossing to be installed near a Hinckley School.
Lib Dem Councillor for Hinckley De Montfort Michael Mullaney has campaigned with local parents, residents and fellow Hinckley Councillors David Bill and Stuart Bray to get a safe crossing near St Peter’s School on London Road, Hinckley.
This follows news that Leicestershire County Council have again decided against putting a crossing there.
In a written submission to the County Council’s Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee Michael Mullaney set out why a crossing was still needed there
“A huge number of residents in the area I represent on the County Council and the area my two fellow Hinckley County Councillors David Bill and Stuart Bray represent support a safe crossing at St Peter’s School on London Road in Hinckley. 8,850 residents signed a petition supporting the campaign.
“There are safety concerns, there have been a number of near misses involving pupils and parents going to the school. Although not recorded it is believed that there was an accident leading to a fatality some years ago along this part of London Road when a pedestrian was knocked over.
“Whilst I appreciate the extra road safety measures that are proposed for London Road near St Peter’s School I am extremely disappointed that the request for a safe road crossing has not been supported in the report.
“There is widespread support for it and Cllrs Bill, Bray and myself identified funding for putting a crossing in at the site through the Members Highway Fund, a fund which was developed with the apparent intention of supporting Highways causes that were important in Councillor’s local areas.
“Whilst it’s welcome that a crossing person has been recruited for St Peter’s School there is always the risk that the person may step down from the job and it may be difficult to find a new person (as it took some years to recruit a crossing person there, with no school crossing patrol between 2017 and 2022 despite attempts to recruit to the post). A safe pedestrian crossing at the site however would be a permanent safety measure that would benefit pupils and parents and residents more generally crossing the road there.
“Whilst I welcome the fact there will be some safety improvements at the site I and many residents believe there still needs to be a safe permanent crossing at St Peter’s School. I therefore urge the County Council to rethink and agree to installing a crossing near St Peter’s School”
