More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
An alarming 73% of burglaries reported in Ashford see the investigation end with no suspect identified, according to a Kentish Express analysis of police data.
The data, which details street-level crimes and their outcomes, shows 722 burglaries were reported in the borough between January and November last year.
KMTV's Joe Coshan has been meeting victims of burglary in Kent
Of that number, 529 were categorised as having a last outcome of ‘investigation complete; no suspect identified’, suggesting these cases did not reach a court hearing.
While this was the most common outcome for burglaries reported in that time, the figures also show police were unable to prosecute suspects in 88 cases, while 57 were still under investigation.
In two instances, suspects were charged as part of another case, and in five, further investigation was ‘not in the public interest’.
Analysis of the data has also revealed that September saw the highest number of burglaries reported (90), while the lowest was reported in April, with 44.
Insurance industry experts said figures such as these can be taken into account when premiums are established.
A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers said: "It is up to individual insurers how they determine home insurance premiums, many factors including local crime rates are often considered."
A police spokesman has suggested there are limitations to the data, however, as they say the details of crimes may change after the figures are recorded.
For instance, a crime which was listed as a burglary might later be reclassified as a different type of crime - but this might not be reflected in the data.
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Ayling, of Kent Police, said: "Burglary is an awful crime and the intrusion of their home can leave victims feeling scared and anxious for a long time after the offence has taken place.
"Kent Police works hard to cut the number of break-ins around the county and the number of people falling victim to burglary has fallen over the last year.
"Kent Police statistics show that there were 6,609 burglaries of homes, sheds and garages between January and October 2019. Although this is a fairly high number, in the context of having more than 1.5 million people living in Kent I would like to reassure the public that the chances of them becoming a victim of burglary are actually very small.
"Tackling burglaries is high on the list of the force’s priorities and we have a dedicated Crime Squad to track down and prosecute our most prolific offenders.
"The support of the Police and Crime Commissioner has enabled the Chief Constable to invest in more specialist resources to relentlessly pursue serial burglars and carry out work in communities to prevent burglaries from taking place.
"Most burglaries are opportunistic and homeowners can take simple steps to avoid becoming a victim of crime and keep their properties as secure as possible."
A recent report on crime, for the year ending June 2019 from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), says there was a four per cent decrease in burglary according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).
"A rise or fall in police recorded crime does not necessarily mean the actual level of crime in society has changed," the report says.
"The data can be affected by changes in recording practices, policing activity and victims’ willingness to report crime."
It adds: "Police-recorded burglary offences had shown rises in recent years (six per cent in the year ending March 2018 and three per cent ending March 2017).
"However, figures for the year ending June 2019 show that the number of burglary offences decreased by four per cent.
"We believe this crime type is less affected by recording improvements than other types of crime, as it is generally well-reported by victims and well-recorded by the police.
"CSEW domestic burglary has shown no significant change in recent years."
