They have a reputation for being tough on Crime. Now looks like just another Porky.

Vehicle crime epidemic: 140,000 car and bike thefts unsolved last year

• New figures reveal 77,300 car thefts and 63,500 bike thefts went unsolved last year
• Only 3.9% of car thefts lead to someone being charged, down from 6.8% five years ago

Analysis of new Home Office statistics by the Liberal Democrats have revealed a "vehicle crime epidemic," with over 140,000 car and bike thefts going unsolved by police last year.

More than three quarters of car theft cases (77,318) and nine in ten bike thefts (63,481) were closed without a suspect being identified.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures showed the Conservatives were soft on crime and are letting criminals get away with stealing vehicles on an "industrial scale." The party is calling for more investment in community policing, ahead of the local elections on Thursday.

In Staffordshire in 2017 11% of car theft events led to a charge. For the 5 years since this had fallen to 7%

The Liberal Democrats are urging a return to community policing, with a three-point plan to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour and reverse years of Conservative neglect:

• Restore proper community policing, where officers are more visible, trusted and known personally to local people.
• Reverse Conservative cuts to youth services by investing an extra £500 million a year via a ring-fenced fund to Local Authorities
• Scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and use the £50 million savings to invest in frontline policing and solving crimes.