HC Deb 27 April 2004 vol 420 cc926-8W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cars were reported stolen in each police district in Northern Ireland in the last five years for which figures are available; how many of these cars were later recovered; and what steps he is taking to tackle car crime in Northern Ireland. [156937]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The following tables set out the numbers of vehicles stolen in each police District Command Unit, over the past five years, together with the number of vehicles recovered.

2002 2003
Stolen Recovered Stolen Recovered
Cookstown 46 37 42 32
Craigavon 188 139 228 195
Down 307 267 203 153
Dungannon and South Tyrone 124 104 93 69
Fermanagh 78 65 74 64
Foyle 203 176 196 166
Larne 44 32 29 24
Limavady 37 34 31 30
Lisburn 694 581 559 454
Magherafelt 37 24 32 21
Moyle 38 34 23 22
Newry and Mourne 459 359 257 169

2002 2003
Stolen Recovered Stolen Recovered
Newtownabbey 376 324 260 208
North Down 242 209 142 123
Omagh 75 61 55 46
Strabane 54 50 59 52
Total 7,559 6,485 5,149 4,166

In March 2003 the Government published a Community Safety Strategy—Creating a Safer Northern Ireland through Partnership. One of the nine key issues specified in the strategy related to car crime. The Strategy has an aim of reducing car crime by 10 per cent. by 2007, using 2001–02 as a baseline year. A number of activities were defined in the Strategy document and many of these have commenced.

During the period March to May 2002 the PSNI implemented Operation Clean Up in the Greater Belfast area, an operation that removed unlicensed vehicles from public roads. In that period 940 vehicles were removed with 83 per cent. of them being destroyed. This operation had a major impact on crime with the reported crimes of domestic burglary, theft of vehicles and "drive offs" from petrol stations significantly reduced; road traffic accidents were also down by 13 per cent., vehicle arsons were down by 23 per cent. and the number of vehicles removed by Councils down by 32 per cent.

Since then further similar exercises have been completed in Londonderry, Tyrone, Ballymena and Larne.

Funds have now been secured to deliver an extended car crime project, based upon Operation Clean Up, and discussions are currently on going with the PSNI, DVLNI and Belfast city council.

In a partnership of organisations led by the Probation Board and funded by the NIO the IMPACT project was established in West Belfast. The aim of the project is to reduce the level of car crime related incidents by targeting those involved and those who are vulnerable to involvement to such activity, through the provision of structured preventative, diversionary and interventionist programmes. This project has recently been given funding for the period up to March 2006.

The PSNI have undertaken a number of specific initiatives to tackle offenders. A special Auto Crime Team has been established which operates mainly in the West Belfast area, to tackle the problems associated with "joy riding". This has proved to be very successful with a significant number of arrests being made and individuals prosecuted.

In addition a number of local initiatives have been undertaken throughout Northern Ireland which are supported by advice and leaflets from local crime prevention officers.

Since 2003 the Government have introduced legislation which brought in some new offences and tougher penalties for offences such as aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of alcohol of or drugs and causing death or grievous bodily injury by aggravated vehicle taking. The PSNI will have powers of arrest for drivers who drive while disqualified. Many of these legislative proposals are currently published for consultations. It is anticipated that any new offences and changes to the maximum sentences available will be in place and operational by autumn 2004.