Theft sentencings begin to rise but number still much lower than recorded offences
More thieves were sentenced in the West Mercia police force area last year as new figures show that across England and Wales, the number of sentences handed out for the crime rose for the first time since 2011.
Despite the figure there are still concerns raised how many investigations are launched and completed into low-level crime.
Ministry of Justice figures show 732 people were sentenced for committing a theft offence in the West Mercia Police area in 2022 – up from 648 in 2021.
Home offices figures show that 26,704 theft offences were recorded in West Mercia over the same period.
Nationally, 36,903 sentences for theft – which includes shoplifting, blackmail, burglary and stealing a vehicle or bicycle – were dished out last year, up from 33,912 the year before.
The Police Federation of England and Wales said the increase is to be expected "given the recent pivot towards prioritising theft and burglaries".
However the rise is well below those of a decade ago when there were 2,055 theft sentences in West Mercia.
A police federation spokesperson said there must be more support for police officers who are exhausted, overworked, underpaid and struggling to deliver the service they want to give because of the increasing demands of the job.
Prosecutions and convictions across the country rose for the first time since 2011 last year, with 42,300 and 36,700 recorded respectively.
The average custody length thieves received in 2022 was 11.2 weeks, down from 12.9 the year before, while the average fine handed down rose slightly from £122 to £124.
Separate Home Office figures show 26,704 theft offences were recorded in West Mercia last year – up from 21,422 in 2021.
Some 31,533 offences were recorded in 2012, a decade ago.
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: "Theft can have a serious impact on victims, and we are determined to bring perpetrators to justice whenever our legal test is met.
"We can only prosecute cases that are referred to us following an investigation and will continue to work closely with police to bring offenders to justice."
Last year the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion said he had secured commitments from the force to attend all burglaries.
"Burglary can have a devastating impact and it’s the right the public get the best service in their time of need.
"Tackling burglary needs a holistic approach. I am delivering on this though the investments I have made, bringing officer numbers to their highest level in more than a decade, crime prevention through initiatives like Smartwater which are a proven to be a deterrent and targeted specialist support for those affected.”
