Car theft is ‘decriminalised’ in London as Met fails to resolve 9 out of 10 instances – so how do police fare in YOUR space

The number of London car thefts that go unsolved and unprosecuted means that it has been virtually ‘decriminalised’, according to one Liberal Democrat MP – but how do the police fare in your area?

As Mail Online’s interactive graphic (below) shows, the Metropolitan Police failed to solve nine out of 10 cases of auto theft in the capital, figures obtained by the Lib Dems reveal. 

Only 0.9 per cent of investigations into car theft resulted in a charge against the perpetrator – the lowest figure of any regional police force in England, according to The Telegraph. 

Between April and June 2024, the Met ended 7,996 out of 8,861 car theft investigations (90.24 per cent) without identifying a suspect – an increase from 88.7 per cent for the previous three months and the highest rate in two years.

Lisa Smart, Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove, called the figures ‘staggering’ and said that while the statistics applied to the period when the Conservatives were in power, Labour had not done enough to rectify the problem since coming to power.

‘These shocking figures will leave people wondering if car theft has been decriminalised in this country,’ Ms Smart said.   

‘Tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales are being left without the justice they deserve, with a staggeringly high number of car thefts going unsolved, and thieves getting away scot free,’ she said.

‘This cannot continue. Every victim of a crime deserves to feel safe and protected by the police, but unfortunately after brutal cuts to community police officers that is far from the truth.

‘We urge the Government to change the course by getting tough on crime, investing properly in local neighbourhood policing and keeping communities safe.’ 

Nationally, the Liberal Democrats claimed almost 25,000 such crimes went unsolved  within a three month period and called on the Government to bolster community policing. 

The party said an analysis of Home Office figures shows on average 78.5% of all car thefts go unsolved, and argued this is partly because of a lack of police time and resources.

Between April and June 2024, 24,837 car thefts went unsolved. The Metropolitan Police had the highest number of unsolved car thefts but South Yorkshire followed closely behind with 85% of theft going unsolved. 

Essex, Wiltshire, Sussex and Hertfordshire also all reported that at least 80% of car thefts were unsolved in the quarter ending June 2024.

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘The Met recognises the impact motor vehicle crime can have on victims, especially those who rely on vehicles for employment or the routine of daily life.

‘We have prioritised vehicle crime under our New Met for London plan, and are driving a number of initiatives to tackle the increase and reduce offending.

‘This includes proactive policing alongside neighbouring forces to recover stolen vehicles, crime prevention work including crime awareness events and partnering with car manufacturers to help problem solve.

Nine out of 10 cases of car theft in London go unsolved, with less than one in 100 leading to a conviction

‘There are several measures motorists can take to protect their vehicles, such as fitting a steering lock which can act as a visible deterrent, keeping electronic car keys in a signal blocking pouch when not in use, and removing valuables or ensuring they are not left on display. Further crime prevention is available on the Met website.’ 

The figures are released only days about the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan was given a knighthood, in the face of strong opposition from groups who feel he has failed to tackle crime in the capital.