§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Bedfordshire on the number of house burglaries and crimes of violence that have been associated with drug-oriented groups in Bedfordshire.
§ Mr. MayhewI understand from the chief constable of Bedfordshire police that during 1982 there were 2,588 burglaries of dwellings and 1,735 crimes of violence in Bedfordshire. The numbers of offenders detected were 852 and 1,336 respectively. Figures are not collected of the number of these offences committed by drug-oriented groups but the chief constable estimates that about 15 per cent. of the offenders who committed burglaries were associated with drug-oriented groups. He is unable to make a similar estimate for offenders involved in crimes of violence.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Bedfordshire on the number of chemists which have been burgled in Bedfordshire during the last 12 months.
§ Mr. MayhewI understand from the chief constable of Bedfordshire police that 31 chemists were burgled in 1982 and four to date this year.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of house burglaries and crimes of violence that have been associated with drug-oriented people and groups.
§ Mr. MayhewThis information is not held centrally: estimates from police forces could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.