Two thirds of knife-point robberies go unsolved each year, figures reveal

Knife crisis: two thirds of knife-point robberies go unsolved each year
Nigel Howard
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Two thirds of knife-point robberies in England and Wales go unsolved each year and thousands of investigations end with no suspect being identified, figures have revealed.

About three in 10 incidents of violence involving a knife have also gone unsolved, as have around one in six of possession of a bladed weapon, the same data showed.

The numbers were obtained from police forces in England and Wales under the Freedom of Information Act. A request was made for the total number of knife-related crimes recorded and the outcomes of the investigations, in 2017, 2018 and this year up to March.

Data was released from 22 forces on crimes of: robbery involving a bladed weapon, violence against a person, possession of an offensive weapon where that was a bladed article; and possession of a bladed article.

A total of 12,783 robberies involving a knife or bladed weapon were recorded in 2017; 15,588 in 2018, and 3,540 up to March 2019.

Of these, in 2017 a total of 8,837 ended with no suspect identified – 69 per cent of the total recorded. Of those 7,319 ended with no suspect identified and the case was closed and in 1,518 cases the victim declined or was unable to support action to identify an offender.

For 2018, a total of 10,456 ended with no suspect identified, 67 per cent of the total. Of these 8,800 ended with no suspect identified and in 1,656 case the victim did not support action to identify an offender.

For the first part of this year up to early March, 1,739 investigations ended with no suspect identified – 49 per cent of the total recorded.

Che Donald, national vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: "While the number of unsolved knifepoint robberies and other knife crimes appears to be slightly decreasing year on year, according to the Press Association figures, there is no denying that the numbers are uncomfortably high.

"Combined with an 8 per cent overall increase in knife crime across England and Wales, what is blatantly apparent is that our over-stretched and under-funded police forces are battling an explosion in violent crime which shows no sign of abating."

He said that while there were nearly 5,000 hospital admissions due to knife violence in England last year and knife crime is at its highest since 2011, budget cuts mean there are nearly 20,000 fewer police officers than in 2010. There is also a national shortage of detectives.

Mr Donald added: "Our detective ranks have been decimated, with huge gaps in investigation teams across all 43 forces. This means that following up crime reports becomes increasingly difficult, particularly in complex drawn-out investigations.

"Some vulnerable victims of crime need to be dealt with appropriately by specially-trained officers in order for cases to proceed and eventually succeed in court. If we don't have enough specialists to do that, more offenders will then slip through the net."

He said police must be properly resourced to tackle the rising tide of violence.

Patrick Green, chief executive of anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: "It is deplorable that nearly two third of criminals who use knives to commit robberies are not put in front of the courts.

"While it is clear that the police are doing all they can to tackle this increasing problem with the resources they have available, more needs to be done.

"It is vital that the police get the support and funding they require to take knives and those who carry them off our streets.

"But the police can't do this on their own.

"It is equally important that we do far more to tackle this menace much earlier by resourcing programmes that stop knife carrying becoming a way of life.

"Early intervention and prevention programmes are a proven way to change young people's mindsets and ensure that they take positive pathways in life.

"Turning them away from crime and deterring from ever carrying a knife."

Reporting by the Press Association

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