§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that only £22 million worth of a total of £125 million of cash and property stolen in the United Kingdom was recovered by the police in 1975, what steps he now recommends should be taken to stimulate the recovery of stolen property, tackle the increased crime of this 524W type and aid recruitment to the police force.
§ Dr. SummerskillWe do not regard the recovery of stolen property as the fundamental problem; rather we should be trying to ensure that property is not stolen in the first place, or if it is, that the offender is caught, since a high risk of being caught is the best deterrent. Crime prevention and preventive policing make an important contribution, as does the development of improved investigation techniques. My Department is playing its full part in this work and the strength of the police service is steadily increasing.