Autocrime performance

Report: 8
Date: 12 July 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update on information provided to PSPM in December 2000 and March 2001. The report highlights performance in tackling autocrime against the government target of 30 per cent reduction by 2004 and outlines the MPS's action plan to tackle autocrime. It also compares MPS autocrime performance using the Home Office BVPI definition.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Current performance

1. Autocrime is featured as a sustained activity in this year's Policing and Performance Plan. The MPS and MPA have this year set a target to reduce autocrime by 5 per cent and achieve a 5 per cent judicial disposal rate.

2. The MPS definition of autocrime includes:

• theft of a vehicle;
• theft from a vehicle;
• aggravated vehicle taking;
• vehicle interference and tampering;
• criminal damage to a vehicle.

3. The Best Value Indicator definition of vehicle crime includes:

• theft of a vehicle;
• theft from a vehicle;
• aggravated vehicle taking.

4. The MPS has adopted their own definition, rather than the narrower vehicle crimes definition used in the Best Value indicators (and by other forces), to encourage accurate crime recording.

MPS Autocrime Performance compared with the Home Office Definition

Autocrime offence figures

5. The chart below shows the total autocrime figures in the MPS for the last 3 years and compares our performance when using both the MPS and Home Office definitions of autocrime. The chart shows that autocrime trends remain the same. Using the Home Office definition in 2000/01 there were 170,983 autocrimes in the MPS, the MPS figures totalled 238,492. When comparing the 2000/01 figures against the 1999/00 figures the Home Office definition shows that the MPS achieved an autocrime reduction of 0.6 per cent whereas the MPS definition showed a 0.2 per cent reduction.

Judicial disposals

6. The number of judicial disposals for each definition between 1998 and 2001 are displayed see tables 1 and 2 (see Supporting material). Although numbers appear higher for the Home Office compared with the MPS, there is no significant variation in Judicial Disposal rates for 2000/01 which both stand at 4.4 per cent.

Borough performance

7. At the end of 2000/01 seven boroughs achieved the 8 per cent reduction target in autocrime; Lambeth 13 per cent, Croydon 12 per cent, Richmond 10 per cent, Southwark 10 per cent, Greenwich 9 per cent, Sutton 8 per cent, and Islington 8 per cent.

8. Although not achieving the MPS target, 10 boroughs achieved a reduction in autocrime and Hillingdon achieved zero growth. Autocrime on 14 boroughs increased. It is noticeable that that Haringey was the only borough in the North East cluster that achieved an autocrime reduction.

9. The charts in Appendix 1 entitled the 'Boston Box' display the autocrime figures and judicial disposal rates in each of the MPS's 32 Borough's throughout 2000/01 compared to the previous year. The charts in Appendix 2 display the autocrime figures for April and May 2001 for each of the Boroughs compared with the same months of the previous year. The Judicial Disposal figures for April and May 2001 are compared with the previous years performance.

10. The MPS performance for April and May 2001 against the yearly 5 per cent reduction target has remained consistent with 0 per cent variation on last years autocrime figures.

MPS action plan

11. MPS has developed an Action Plan to tackle autocrime, which has been distributed to the 32 boroughs. The good practice identified through operation Arrow has been reflected in the plan. BOCU Commanders have been provided with a menu of options on how to deal with autocrime on their borough. Borough implementation is currently ongoing

12. For this report two boroughs have been identified for further comment: Hillingdon Borough has steadily declined for the past seven months, in contrast autocrime on Hammersmith and Fulham has increased.

Hillingdon borough

13. The following crime reduction methods undertaken by Hillingdon Borough have significantly impacted on autocrime. In November 2000 the borough achieved a 5 per cent reduction and has continued to maintain that downward trend. In May 2001 the borough reduced autocrime by 25 per cent. The borough has attributed this success on two main initiatives; Operation Broadsword and Operation Wayfairer.

14. Operation Broadsword was an offender-based initiative, which targeted 'known' suspects. The operation generated several arrests of persistent active criminals, who have since received custodial sentences. Operation Wayfairer operated during April 2001. It combined uniform and plain- clothes officers who patrolled current and historic hotspots on the division, backed up with surveillance and decoy operations. The operation generated 80 arrests and although the operation was intended to tackle burglary, intelligence showed that the operation had a significant impact on autocrime.

Hammersmith and Fulham borough

15. The autocrime figures for Hammersmith and Fulham have shown a significant increase during the past four months. In response the borough is running operation Pacman. The tatics include a range of initiatives including intelligence led operations on 'known suspects'.

16. A particular problem in the borough is the lack of 'off street' parking available to local residents. Intelligence suggests that the large volume of expensive vehicles parked in the street attract offenders into the area to commit crime. To reduce their (offenders) 'opportunities' to commit autocrime, operation Pacman has been identifying autocrime 'hotspot' streets. Once identified crime prevention meausres are then introduced to disrupt autocrime, this includes crime prevention leaflets to local residents, raising their awareness to the problem and educating them not to leave valuables in their vehicle.

17. A recent success in the Borough, through forensic identification, two youths have been arrested and charged with breaking into Peugeot 306 motor vehicles and stealing the property therein. It is believed the youths are responsible for committing up to 160 offences of a similar nature.

Operation arrow

18. Operation Arrow is a two-year targeted policing initiative funded by the Home Office to tackle autocrime. The initiative commenced in October 1999 and is running in the boroughs of Camden, Islington and Southwark. The primary aim of the initiative is to find new ways of fighting the car criminal thereby reducing the levels of autocrime.

19. Operation Arrow's Action Plan contains a range of initiatives which cover; Operations, Crime Prevention, Youth Projects, and Partnership schemes. Of the three boroughs participating in the scheme both Southwark and Islington have performed well, achieving a 10 per cent and 8 per cent reduction respectively in autocrime during 2000/01. However, Camden autocrime figure increased by 21 per cent. Camden's Street Crime and Burglary offences on the borough also showed an increase over the same period.

Forensic update

20. The MPS has funding to recruit 200 extra crime scene examiners. Since the last report there has been a net gain of 12 of level one-scene examiners.

21. Negotiations to remove all stolen motor vehicles to secure forensic pounds for examination are still ongoing.

Secure car park scheme

22. The Secure Car Park scheme is administered by the AA. There are now 87 SCP's in the MPS (increased by five since March 2001).

Achievement of BVPI autocrime target

23. After consultation with the public and it's partners the MPS set a target to reduce Autocrime by 5 per cent. However, the Government has set the MPS a five-year target to reduce Autocrime by 30 per cent, based on 1998/99 crime figures. For BVPI target to be achieved it would mean that the MPS would need to reduce Autocrime by an average of 14 per cent a year over the next three years. The BVPI target therefore remains a significant challenge to the MPS.

C. Financial implications

None.

D. Background papers

• Report to Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring - MPS Performance against Burglary - 13 March 2001
• Report to Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring - Burglary and Autocrime - 12 December 2000 - available from the MPA

E. Contact details

The author of this report is David Paterson, MPS Corporate Performance Analysis Unit.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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