Bike theft faces being ‘decriminalised’ as 88.6% of thefts go unsolved across Avon and Somerset

New analysis commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that in 2022, 2,155 bike theft cases in Avon and Somerset were closed without a suspect being identified - a shocking 88.6% of total reported cases. 

Meanwhile, only 47 bike thefts reported in for force area last year resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed - just 1.9% of the total 2,432 cases recorded.

Taunton and Wellington’s Liberal Democrats warned these figures showed the Government was effectively ‘decriminalising’ bike theft, letting criminals off the hook for the robbery of thousands of pounds worth of property.

The party has accused the Conservative Government of neglecting neighbourhood policing. Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) numbers have also plummeted under the Conservative Party’s watch, with over 4,000 PCSOs being taken off the streets since 2015.

Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible and trusted, with the time to focus on tackling local crime. 

Gideon Amos, the party’s local Parliamentary candidate, said: “Theft is such a personal and terrible crime. To see so many go unsolved in Avon and Somerset is a tragedy.

“These figures show the Government is effectively decriminalising bike theft in our local communities - and ministers in Westminster seem content to let it continue.

“We need to see a return to proper community policing, making our streets safer and ending this free-for-all for criminals.”