Violent crime in England and Wales is continuing to rise but police detection rates are falling, with less than one quarter of all offences being solved, according to government figures released Thursday.
Police cleared up only 24 percent of recorded crimes in the year to March, compared with 25 percent in the previous 12 months and 34 percent in 1989, the Home Office figures showed.
Although the overall number of recorded crimes fell by 2.5 percent, violent crime was up for the second year running, rising 4.3 percent.
Home Secretary David Blunkett said the figures, particularly for robberies which rose 13 percent, were a cause for concern.
"There are no quick wins on crime -- it is a long term investment. We have had real success with burglary and car crime but this was hard earned."
He said part of the big increase in robberies was that they included mobile phone thefts.
In Britain, violent crime is classed as anything involving violence or the perceived threat of violence. It can range from murder to a handbag-snatch.
Although detection rates were as low as six percent for some thefts, there was a 55 percent clear-up rate for violent crimes overall, including nine out of 10 murders -- LONDON (AFP)
