Burglary
Combating Burglary: An Evaluation of Three Strategies
| This document is published for archival/historical purposes. It will not be updated. |
Home Office Crime Detection and Prevention Series Paper 59 (1995) by Janet Stockdale & Peter Gresham
This paper describes the results of an evaluation of three force strategies that target burglary, and identifies the implications for good practice. Operation Bumblebee is a high-profile anti-burglary strategy adopted by the Metropolitan Police Service. Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Operation Gemini focuses on both burglary and vehicle crime. Hampshire Constabulary has made organisational and procedural changes designed to affect its response to burglary and other crimes.
Key elements of a successful anti-burglary strategy include:
Clearly defined, internally consistent objectives;
An intelligence-based approach;
Adequate, targeted resources;
Appropriate structures and acceptable work practices;
An effective publicity campaign and positive media coverage;
Multi-agency co-operation;
A crime management system which insures an appropriate, co-ordianted response to reported burglaries and an efficient, supportive service to victims;
Local flexibility
Implications for good practice:
Publicity - operations should be named and be high-profile, thereby providing a unified focus on a range of activities and making it possible for the public to understand police operations.
Internal communication - efficient communication and consultation systems should help with the implementation of any strategy and should encourage officers’ commitment and support. Officers are more likely to be committed and effective if they are aware of all of the objectives and methods of an operation.
Services to burglary victims - response to all reported burglaries should be prompt; officers should be sympathetic and caring and should provide advice about local victim assistance groups; realistic assessments should be made about the chances of recovering the property and catching the culprit; crime prevention follow-up will help to avoid repeat victimisation; and follow-up contact should be made to report on the activities of the investigation.
Crime Prevention - the status, location and integration of crime prevention services should be analysed to ensure public take-up of advice.
Equipment and support services - adequate and appropriate equipment (including information technology) is vital.
Proactive approach - requires enhanced collection, analysis and dissemination of criminal intelligence and crime patterns; it also requires appropriate structures and support systems.
Criminal Intelligence - intelligence systems should be integrated and well supervised.
Crime Pattern Analysis - actionable intelligence and well-resourced surveillance capabilities will assist in the targeting of active criminals and high-risk areas.
Specialist Squads - benefit from the concentration of specialist knowledge, skills and experience.
Crime Management - investigation criteria needs to be explicit and consistent but should also reflect individual circumstances, local priorities and resource levels.
Getting a copy
“Combating Burglary: An Evaluation of Three Strategies” is available as a full report (PDF format)
Last update: Wednesday, August 27, 2008