At least 80 robberies a day were left unsolved last year, the Liberal Democrats have claimed.
An investigation by the party unveiled that criminals are being ‘let off the hook’ as it accused Suella Braverman of becoming ’embroiled in endless scandals’.
The research commissioned by the Lib Dems shines a light on closed crime cases across England and Wales.
It shows that 30,000 muggings were unsolved in 2022, alongside more than one in two robbery reports.
Fewer than one in 12 (8%) led to a suspect being charged, according to the party.
West Midlands Police was the worst performing force, with just 4% of robberies reported in 2022 leading to a suspect being charged, the Lib Dems said.
It was closely followed by Northamptonshire (5%), Avon and Somerset (6%) and Hampshire (6%).
Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney MP, who commissioned the research, said: ‘These shocking figures show muggings are being effectively decriminalised, with far too many violent criminals let off the hook.
‘People are being left feeling unsafe walking down their own local streets, because this Conservative government has slashed neighbourhood policing to the bone.
‘Crime victims are being abandoned while the home secretary Suella Braverman is embroiled in endless scandals.’
This comes as Ms Braverman was cleared without an independent investigation by Rishi Sunak last week over allegations she broke the ministerial code.
Both the Lib Dems and Labour have called for a return to ‘community policing’ with a focus on officers who know the neighbourhood well.
But the government has said it has policing under control, with recent figures showing that it met its manifesto pledge to recruit 20,000 new officers by March this year.
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Robbery is an invasive and unsettling crime for victims and we expect police to take all incidents seriously.
‘We are also supporting police by providing funding for crime prevention measures, including better street lighting and CCTV, and equipping police with better technology to help their investigations and catch more criminals.’
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