More needs to be done to tackle business break-ins says Bedfordshire's police and crime commissioner

Bedfordshire Police has “one of the highest” domestic burglary solve rates in the country, but the police and crime commissioner said more needs to be done to investigate commercial break-ins.

And he said this includes the chief constable being “more creative” in allocating police resources.

Research published in January by the think-tank More in Common found that nearly 7 in 10 Britons believe the police have given up trying to solve crimes such as shoplifting and burglaries altogether.

In response to the findings, Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC), Festus Akinbusoye, said when it comes to domestic burglaries, the county’s force has one of the highest solve rates in England and Wales.

“We were the first force in the country to make sure that a police officer or a forensics officer within the police staff attends a domestic burglary,” he said.

“This is now a mandated policy from the College of Policing, so we were ahead of the curve.

“So no, we have not given up on burglaries because there is a recognition in Bedfordshire Police that a lot of the people who commit these acquisitive crimes can be responsible for many other crimes as well.”

There is an area where PCC would like to see the chief constable increase resources.

“I understand the constraints that he has to work in, but nonetheless I still have to highlight public concerns to him,” he said.

“So we’re doing quite well with domestic burglaries, but if you had a shoplifter in your shop you’re not going to get the same level of response as you would do if it was a domestic dwelling.

“If a commercial premises was broken into overnight I am not satisfied with how police deals with that.

“That’s an ongoing discussion that I’m having with Bedfordshire Police, and I’ll keep having that conversation.

“So I’m not saying everything is all wonderful, because it’s not,” he said.

The PCC added that it’s “very difficult” due to the way Bedfordshire Police is funded, and when dealing with the strategic policing priorities set by the Home Office to put police resources where residents would like to see them.

“The chief constable has got to prioritise where he allocates his resources,” he said.

“But what I’m asking the chief constable to do is to look at how the force can be more creative in this.

“The person who has burgled a commercial premises might also be the same person who is causing havoc in a village, or in a town or in a street, with multiple burglaries.

“So maybe if the police do go to some of these commercial break-ins it could give them the forensics to take out the threats elsewhere.

“I don’t have responsibility for operational policing, but thankfully we have a chief constable who listens and is willing to engage.

“He still has this on his radar, but it is something that is very resource intensive and I’m sure he’ll keep looking at ways to deliver that,” he said.