NINE out of 10 burglars in Avon and Somerset last year escaped prosecution, leaving families and businesses ‘terrified and having to fend for themselves’, West Somerset MP Rachel Gilmour said this week.

Mrs Gilmour said recently-released Home Office figures showed the vast majority of burglars in the force’s area were ‘getting away scot-free’.

She said Avon and Somerset had a total of 7,202 burglaries recorded, but only 4.11 per cent of cases resulted in a charge, with 70 per cent closing without the police identifying a suspect.

Calling for an urgent restoration of neighbourhood police funding, Ms Gilmour said the Government was ‘asleep at the wheel’ and failing to commit to tackling crime.

Mrs Gilmour said in 95.89 per cent of Avon and Somerset burglary cases, victims never saw anybody charged, a situation which had to change.

She said: “That is why I am demanding urgent action from the Prime Minister to back calls for a guaranteed investigation of all burglaries in my constituency.”

Mrs Gilmour urged the Government to bring forward emergency legislation, because, as things stood at the moment, the vast majority of criminals committing domestic burglaries were going unpunished.

She wanted to be able to reassure families across West Somerset and Exmoor that burglaries would be investigated and criminals brought to justice.

Mrs Gilmour said: “It is unacceptable that families and businesses across Somerset are being left terrified as the vast majority of burglaries go unsolved.

“Avon and Somerset Police work tirelessly but they require the proper resources and mandate from central Government to ensure every single case is rigorously investigated.”

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said charges and prosecution rates for burglary reflected wider national trends.

They acknowledged there were ‘operational problems’ involved in gathering sufficient forensic or video evidence to bring suspects to court.