Nine in every ten burglaries unsolved across Wales, police data reveals

‘Do the little things’ said St David’s, and that same message could perhaps apply to the justice system, as the St David’s area in Pembrokeshire is one of those in Wales where none of the burglaries were solved over the past three years.

Across Wales’ counties, an average of 91.3% of burglaries remained unsolved between May 2019 to April 2022. Police in Gwynedd had the most success with ‘only’ 87.3% of burglaries unsolved, compared with 95.5% in Caerphilly.

Caerphilly had three areas, Pengam & Cefn Fforest, Bedwas & Trethomas and Newbridge, where none of the 157 burglaries had been solved, according to police.uk data.

Joining them were Thornhill in Cardiff, Llandybie & Saron and Llanfihangel-ar-arth & Llanybydder in Carmarthenshire, Betws-yn-Rhos, Llangernyw & Llansannan in Conwy, Corwen, Llanelidan & Efenechdyd in Denbighsire, and Flint South West in Flintshire.

No cases had been solved either in Newborough on the Isle of Anglesey, Glynneath in Neath Port Talbot, Lawrence Hill, Beechwood or Caerleon in Newport, or Montgomery, Trewern & Berriew and Abermule, and Churchstoke & Kerry in Powys.

Gorseinon in Swansea, Griffithstown & Sebastopol, New Inn and Hollybush & Henllys in Torfaen, and Ogmore-by-Sea & Llandow in the Vale of Glamorgan also had a 0% success rate.

Unsolved crimes included are any crime where an individual was not charged or given an out-of-court sanction. They do not include cases where investigations are on-going, no update is supplied or location is not provided.

The Telegraph newspaper, which analysed the figures across the England and Wales justice system, found that 46.3% had at least one burglary in the past three years of which none were solved.

The worst neighbourhood was Parson Cross, in Sheffield, where all 104 burglaries were closed without a suspect.

Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, told the newspaper: “I want to see forces being more proactive in both preventing and solving these cases to give the public confidence that they are doing the job.

“Crimes like theft and burglary have a profound impact on victims, so sending a police officer in person to every single domestic burglary is key to catching those responsible. Finding them quicker, and deterring their criminal behaviour in the first place, is how we are going to make our streets safer for everyone.”

Vera Baird, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, said there was a risk that burglars felt they could steal “with impunity” if police fail to investigate incidents.

“It is critical that victims have confidence that the crimes they report are investigated and that offenders do not feel they can commit these offences with impunity,” she said.