HC Deb 25 February 1935 vol 298 cc769-70
34. Sir WILLIAM DAVISON

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can inform the House as to the number of burglaries and other robberies which have taken place in the Metropolitan police district during the past three months; and in how many cases have the criminals concerned been apprehended and convicted?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)

In the three months ended 31st January, 1935, 1,854 cases of breaking into dwelling-houses and 1,221 of shopbreaking were recorded in the Metropolitan police district. In connection with 412 of these offences, 460 arrests have been made. A large number of the cases still remain undisposed of, and I cannot say how many convictions there will be. During the same period 100 other arrests were made of persons possessing housebreaking tools.

Sir W. DAVISON

In view of the comparatively small number of arrests and the very large amount of crime disclosed in my right hon. Friend's reply, does he not think the whole energies of the police had much better be bent on apprehending these criminals than that they should be frittered away in apprehending decent people who take tickets in lotteries?