Just 5% of UK burglaries and robberies are being solved by police

Break-ins present 'particular challenges' in catching criminals, says Scotland Yard

A Met Police officer on security duty (Rex)

The Metropolitan Police says it is "doing all it can" to bring thieves to justice after figures suggested less than five per cent of burglaries and robberies across the country are being solved. Britain's largest police force also faces questions about what it is doing to tackle the new phenomenon of moped-related crime.

Scotland Yard said national sanction detection rates - the way solved cases are measured - were 5.5 per cent for burglary and seven per cent for robbery between April 2017 and April 2018. It added burglary presents "particular challenges" in finding culprits, and that more work needs to be done to tackle such crimes.

The overall rate of solved cases for all offences stands at 13.2 per cent.

These figures have been disputed, with the Sunday Times claiming that national police data puts the rate of solved burglaries at four per cent.

But Chief Constable Bill Skelly, the National Police Chiefs' Council's spokesman on crime recording and statistics, said there had been improvements in how police record their crimes.

Among the offences recorded are those with "no suspect and little prospect of a criminal justice outcome", he told the paper.

In recent months, the Metropolitan Police has had to confront a sudden spike in "ride-by" burglaries and thefts. The force says it is putting a "huge amount of effort" into tackling this increase in moped-related crime - of which there have been a number of high-profile incidents.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid fell victim to thieves on a moped who stole his phone during his previous role as communities secretary, while comedian Michael McIntyre was robbed of his watchin a violent incident earlier this month.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Solving crime is a key priority for the Met and we are committed to doing all we can to cut crime, pursue offenders and support victims to make London even safer."

Press Association