Vehicle theft
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/003029/S
Version Date: 04/04/2025
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request data on vehicle theft investigations within your police force’s jurisdiction. Specifically, I’d like details on:
- The total number of reported vehicle thefts in your jurisdiction for each of the last three calendar years (2021, 2022, and 2023).
- The number of those cases that resulted in a suspect being charged or otherwise identified as the offender.
- The number of those cases that remain unsolved
If possible, please provide this information in a year-by-year breakdown.
The Performance Analysis Department have provided the following information.
Searches were completed on Niche for Thefts of Motor Vehicles.
Please see below breakdowns of the recorded outcomes and totals.
|
Outcome |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Total |
|
1: Charged |
12 |
13 |
18 |
43 |
|
1: Summonsed/postal requisition |
25 |
22 |
11 |
58 |
|
10: Police - formal action not in public interest |
2 |
2 |
||
|
12: Named suspect identified but is dead or too ill (physical or mental health) to prosecute |
1 |
1 |
||
|
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
56 |
60 |
86 |
202 |
|
15: CPS - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
6 |
3 |
4 |
13 |
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
64 |
69 |
80 |
213 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
74 |
77 |
65 |
216 |
|
17: Suspect identified but prosecution time limit expired |
1 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
387 |
643 |
799 |
1829 |
|
1A: Alternate offence charged |
1 |
8 |
8 |
17 |
|
1A: Alternate offence summonsed/postal requisition |
3 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
|
2: Youth caution |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
2: Youth conditional caution |
1 |
1 |
||
|
20: Other body/agency has investigation primacy |
3 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
|
21: Police - named suspect, investigation not in the public interest |
7 |
3 |
3 |
13 |
|
2A: Alternate offence youth caution |
1 |
1 |
||
|
3: Adult conditional caution |
4 |
4 |
8 |
|
|
8: Community resolution |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
|
8: Youth restorative disposal |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Cancelled/transferred |
47 |
55 |
65 |
167 |
|
New |
2 |
9 |
10 |
21 |
|
RTC - NFA |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Total |
692 |
977 |
1169 |
2838 |
Please note:
- Occurrences that are ‘attempted thefts’ have not been included within these totals.
- The status ‘New’ means that it is under investigation.