Shock figures on burglary response times

Police in Avon and Somerset are taking an average of five hours 21 minutes to respond to burglary calls, damning new figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

This is a dramatic 68 per cent increase on response times compared to figures from 2021-22, where it took an average three hours ten minute to respond to burglaries.

Across England, police are taking an average of 9 hours and 8 minutes to show up at the scene when a burglary was reported. 

This is a 25% increase when compared to the previous year and an 87% increase on burglary response times in 2020-21.

Taunton and Wellington Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative Government for these figures, arguing that years of ineffective resourcing have left local police forces overstretched, under-resourced and unable to effectively respond to local crime.

This includes taking more than 4,500 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) off the streets since 2015.

The party is calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and able to focus on responding to neighbourhood crime like burglaries.

Gideon Amos, the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Taunton and Wellington, said: “Having your home burgled is a traumatic experience, and victims deserve a swift response from the police. 

“Yet, thanks to the Conservative Government, this is increasingly out of reach.

“People in Taunton and Wellington deserve to feel safe in their own homes.

“The fact that traumatised burglary victims are being left waiting for hours, wondering if the police will even arrive, is unacceptable.

“To think that crucial evidence may be lost in the process too is unforgivable.

“The Conservatives’ recent decision to cut 80 PCSOs from Avon and Somerset is completely wrong.

“It’s time to finally restore proper community policing, so people can be confident that if they do fall victim to crime, the police will turn up and investigate properly.”