Revealed: Nearly 6,000 crimes going unsolved a day

The analysis comes from the Home Office’s own statistics on crime outcomes in England and Wales for the year ending June 2023. A grand total of 2,159,583 cases were closed without a suspect being identified in that time period - a 10% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, just 314,010 cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed in the year ending June 2023.

The Liberal Democrats have argued that the blame “lies squarely” with the Conservatives for these dire outcomes. For years, the Conservative Government has used policing resources ineffectively, leaving local forces overstretched, under-resourced, and unable to respond to neighbourhood crime. This includes taking over 4,500 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) off the streets since 2015, and assigning just 12% of officers to neighbourhood policing teams. The party is calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible and trusted,with the resources to focus on solving local crimes.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:

“Thousands of victims are being cruelly denied justice as criminals get let off the hook every single day.

“It’s an outrage, and the blame lies squarely with the Conservatives. They have sidelined neighbourhood policing for too long. Yet the Home Secretary seems happy to stay asleep at the wheel as our communities pay the price.

“She must finally do what is long overdue - restore proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and empowered to focus on local crime.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Data taken from Table 2.1: Outcomes assigned to offences recorded in year to June 2021 to year to June 2023, by outcome type and group, from Home Office, Crime outcomes year to June 2023: data tables.

Data on PCSO cuts can be found here, based on Home Office, Police Workforce: England and Wales, Table H7 (various editions).

Data on neighbourhood policing team size can be found here, based on Home Office, Police workforce England and Wales statistics.