HC Deb 20 May 2003 vol 405 cc764-6W
Mark Tami

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) reported thefts and (b) convictions for theft of (i) motor cars and (ii) motorcycles there were in each police authority in each of the last five years. [113027]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

The available information is contained in the table. The recorded crime figures cover the offences of aggravated vehicle taking and theft and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle. The figures of persons convicted include the offence of being carried knowing motor vehicle to have been taken or driven away, in addition.

A distinction between motor cars and motor cycles is not available in the statistics collected centrally.

Court proceedings statistics for 2002 will be available in the autumn and recorded crime figures for 2002–03 in July.

Theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle (including aggravated vehicle taking)1—recorded crime, 1997 to 2001–02, and persons convicted 1997 to 2001, by police force area
Recorded crime Persons convicted2
Police force area 19973 1998–994 1999–2000 2000–015 2001–025 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
North Wales 2,050 2,116 2,310 1,903 1,990 138 148 175 142 150
South Wales 19,875 18,571 15,850 12,019 11,557 631 736 755 614 576
England and Wales 407,239 391,807 374,686 338,796 328,196 14,769 14,887 15,327 13,984 13,722
1 For persons convicted also includes the offence of 'Being carried knowing vehicle to have been taken or driven away'.
2 The conviction figures relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with.
3 Crimes were recorded on a calendar year basis up to 1997 and on a financial year basis thereafter.
4 The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.
5 Due to some police forces adopting the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) earlier than its national introduction across England and Wales on 1 April 2002, figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 may be inflated.
6 Staffordshire Police were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter of 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this level of analysis.