§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 969W, how many suspected incidences of distraction burglary have taken place in each of the last three years. [109192]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe figures for distraction burglaries received from police forces do not distinguish between suspected and other cases. Nor is it possible to provide a breakdown by whether the burglary was successful or an attempt.
In the British Crime Survey, burglaries where entry was gained by false pretences are split between "with entry" and "attempts". The most recent results can be found in table 3a in "Crime in England and Wales 2001–02. Supplementary Volume", which was published in January 2003. This reports that there were 426,000 attempted burglaries and 565,000 burglaries with entry, of which 10 per cent. and four per cent. respectively involved the offender using false pretences to gain, or try to gain entry.