Eight out of 10 crimes go unsolved
9:38am Wednesday 14th May 2008
Eight out of 10 crimes in Elmbridge are going unsolved, according to figures released by police this week.
The total number of crimes has also risen by 3.4 per cent to 8,489 in the year up to April 2008 - equivalent to 23 in the borough every day.
In some areas more than 95 per cent of crimes are going unpunished, including non-domestic burglary and car crime.
Quite worryingly, more than 85 per cent of the 62 sexual offences and 83 percent of the 75 robberies are also going without punishment.
These sanctioned detection rates show the percentage of crimes which ended with somebody being charged, given a caution, handed an on-the-spot fine or sent to court.
Elmbridge's detection rates of 20.1 per cent are significantly below the county's average of 26.8 per cent - something police blame on a lack of "hot spots" in busier city centres and its proximity to London.
Neighbourhood Inspector Paul Yearwood said: "In Elmbridge, the crime is very spread over many towns and villages. With vehicle crime it could be in Weybridge or it could be in Molesey. It is difficult in policing terms because the hot spots are so wide spread."
He admitted he is "disappointed" crime figures have gone up, but pointed to vehicle crime, racially aggravated crime and non-domestic burglary which have fallen this year.
Insp Yearwood blamed Elmbridge's spiralling domestic burglary rates - up by almost a third to 666 in a year - on criminals increasingly coming into the area from London for "rich pickings" in a wealthy area.
They now plan to install more Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras on main roads into the borough, over the next few years, to pin point potential trouble-makers.
There was one recorded murder in Elmbridge - that of Peter Jeffrey Akers, 50, who was stabbed in public toilets near Walton Bridge in February.
There were no manslaughter cases, but 18 serious violent crimes and 16 rapes.
The low detection rates on rape cases - just one in eight - has been blamed on the difficulty of proving consent, a problem experienced by police nationally.
Robbery from businesses leapt by a massive 366 percent, from 3 to 14 cases, meanwhile the number of muggings jumped from 39 to 61.
Burglary victim Terry King, who had £4,000 of equipment stolen from his rose nursery in Long Ditton earlier this year, has disputed police claims that they are doing all they can do investigate crimes.
Despite seeing his trailer being driven past his nursery and reporting it to police, it has still not been found.
He said: "I had two trailers taken in six weeks. I've been told that Woodstock Lane was a priority area. If we are a priority and this is happening, I hate to think what it is like if you're not a priority. They just don't investigate them."