Bike theft now ‘decriminalised’ as Met fail to solve nine out of ten cases
More than nine in ten bike thefts reported to the Met Police went unsolved in 2022, according to Home Office statistics.
Some 93.7 per cent of reported thefts went unsolved in the capital last year, higher than the national average of 89 per cent.
The Lib Dems, who crunched the numbers, said the figures suggested bike theft has been effectively decriminalised.
“These figures show the Government is effectively decriminalising bike theft in our local communities – and ministers in Westminster seem content to let it continue,” Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney said.
“We need to see a return to proper community policing, making our streets safer and ending this free-for-all for criminals.”
The data comes just days after it was revealed that 12,600 burglaries went unattended by the Met Police last year, equivalent to 34 a day.
The Met Police has been under fire on all sides for both a failure to prosecute day-to-day crime and for failing to clamp down on individuals within the force who have no business being in uniform.
New Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has promised to “get back” to frontline crime fighting.
His predecessor Dame Cressida Dick was fired after a string of scandals on her watch, not least the get-tough policing of a peaceful vigil in memory of Sarah Everard – who had been raped and murdered by a serving Metropolitan Police officer.
A spokesperson for the Met said of the damning burglary statistics: “Burglary is traumatic for each and every victim and tackling this issue is one of the Commissioner’s key priorities. A significant amount of work is being done in this area, including supporting those who are vulnerable, and repeat victims of burglary, as well as providing crime prevention advice.
“The prevention activity includes high visibility foot and mobile patrols at times when burglaries are most common and working with repeat victims of burglary to reduce their chances of being burgled again. Officers are also reviewing crime reports to see if we can identify suspects or patterns.