Avon and Somerset Police’s Chief Constable Andy Marsh has pledged to improve the Force’s detection and response to dwelling burglaries across the area.
Yesterday the Police and Crime Panel heard that the number of dwelling burglaries rose by almost 28% in the last year, which is an additional 1,194 crimes compared to the previous year.
Chief Constable Marsh said: “I understand how devastating the impact of serious dwelling burglaries can be for those victims whose homes and privacy are infringed. We absolutely need to improve the detection of these crimes and our response to them.
“In all my experience of policing, I have learnt that where we get spikes like this the quickest solution is to stop those who are behind the burglaries.
“Often it’s a small handful of individuals who are responsible and we need to show them that we will take action against such people who prey on innocent people. I can assure you we will make life extremely difficult for them in our communities.
“As a force, we are facing huge demands on our resources but I am committed to improving the way we deal with this issue.
“If your home is in the process of being burgled, you should call 999 immediately and officers will get to you as a priority. If your home has been burgled and the offenders have left, please call 101 and report this. Our call handlers will know what to do and advise you on preserving key evidence until officers arrive.
“You can take precautions to protect your property and stop you and your family becoming victims of crime too. By working together, I am convinced that we can tackle this and make our communities safer.”
