§ Captain Pluggeasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the increase of robberies of all kinds and motor-car thefts at the present time; and whether he is satisfied that existing legislation is adequate to impose the maximum penalties for offences of this nature during the war?
§ Sir J. AndersonFigures for the whole of the country are not available, but in reply to a Question on 13th March by the hon. Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) I gave figures for certain offences in the Metropolitan Police district during the first six months of the war. As compared with the corresponding pre-war period, these figures showed that, while there had been some increase in shop breaking and in bag snatching, there had been a decrease in cases of burglary and house breaking and in cases of robbery or attempted robbery with violence. During the same period, as compared with the corresponding period last year, there has been an increase in the number of motor-car thefts (including taking cars without the owner's consent) recorded in the Metropolitan Police district. The maximum penalties for these offences range from penal servitude for life, in the case of burglary, to imprisonment for 12 months and a fine of £100, in the case of taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and I have no reason to think that the existing penalties are inadequate for dealing with such offences in war-time.