§ 22. Mr. HICKSasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the recent abnormal number of burglaries in the Forest Gate district; and if he will state the numerical strength of the police force in the district as at the 31st March, 1930, and at the 3lst March, 1934?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe Commissioner of Police informs me that he has had the question of the number of breakings-in in the Forest Gate district under his close consideration, and is taking appro- 472 priate steps to deal with it. There has been an alteration of police boundaries in the neighbourhood. The number of foot police doing duty in the district commonly referred to as Forest Gate has remained practically stationary, but the area is more intensively patrolled than it was four years ago owing to the increased employment of police in motor vehicles.
§ Mr. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in consequence of what is known as regular beats, that is, of police passing given points at a given time, the burglars usually operate in the times between, and cannot some method of changing the system be adopted?