Eight in ten London burglaries remain unsolved as Lib Dems target Tories over crime

More than 80% of reported burglaries in London went unsolved last year, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Richmond was the worst-hit neighborhood in the capital, with no suspects charged in almost nine out of ten of the 1,302 burglaries in 2023.

Kingston, Merton and Barnet followed, data obtained under freedom of information laws revealed.

Islington saw the most burglaries solved, but 70% were answered.

In 19 districts, no thieves were brought to justice in more than 80% of reported crimes.

The Lib Dems are calling for a new burglary response guarantee, which would mean all domestic burglaries must be handed in by an officer and properly investigated.

Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney said: “Thousands of London households are now living in fear after the Tories decimated frontline policing for too long.

“Criminals are off the hook because ministers have effectively decriminalized burglary. That is why the Lib Dems would offer a burglary response guarantee to ensure that all home burglaries are reported to the police and properly investigated.

“People have a right to feel safe in their own homes and they want this awful Tory government out of office.”

To implement the guarantee, the party promised to reinvigorate community policing to ensure officers are resourced to focus on preventing and solving crime.

It would be allied with a new strategy to tackle the shortage of detectives and the establishment of a new national online crime agency.

The Metropolitan Police’s solve rate was better than commuter belt forces.

Former justice secretary Dominic Raab’s constituency of Elmbridge in Surrey had the highest proportion of unsolved burglaries last year at 92 per cent.

Police Minister Chris Philp said the Lib Dem proposals were a “cynical statement” from a party that “doesn’t have a plan” to tackle crime.

Ten worst London boroughs for unsolved burglaries