Two houses burgled each day in Exeter

Two houses are burgled in Exeter every day according to shocking new government statistics uncovered this week.

The statistics show that there were 710 burglaries in Exeter between March 2014 and March 2015, meaning one was reported to police every 12 hours. The statistics also found that an incident of vehicle crime happens every 20 hours in the city.

Although police clearing rates (the rate at which police successfully solve rimes) was high in some areas, in Exeter the rate at which police solved bicycle crime was particularly low, with 86% of cases being closed without suspect.

A College of Policing study however found that these low clearance rates may be due to increasing police time being spent on public protection work. Steven White, head of the Police Federation commented earlier this year:

“83 per cent of calls to forces do not concern incidents of crime [which] calls into question government claims that the police should just be measured on efforts to cut crime… Policing pubs and clubs; house-to-house inquiries and taking statements are just some of the key areas of police work not covered in crime statistics.”

Anthony Neary, security expert at The Safe Shop, the security product provider who uncovered the statistics, commented on the results:
“There are an astounding number of burglaries in the UK every year. Even though crime numbers in general are slightly down, these statistics highlight how important it is for us to be vigilant about our home security. That means locking your house and keeping your valuables hidden and safe when you’re not at home.”

To curb crime in Exeter, The Safe Shop has created a crime prevention guide so that local residents can do all they can to prevent themselves from being burgled or stolen from. You can view it here: http://www.thesafeshop.co.uk/blog/2015/06/a-guide-to-theft-prevention/