Police 'screen out half of crime to hit targets'

Police in London are failing to investigate half of all reported crimes, it emerged today.

New figures show that the Met is "screening out" 51 per cent of offences because they do not believe they can be solved. The crimes are said to include sex attacks, violent robberies, harassment, burglary and drug offences.

Victims' groups condemned the practice as it emerged that at least four out of 10 crimes are not investigated nationwide. A spokesman for Victim Support said: "Even if this process is justified by lack of evidence, the figures are likely to undermine confidence in the police among victims." Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: "This is a consequence of Labour's target culture which has resulted in our police being forced to chase Whitehall diktats instead of criminals."

Police chiefs defend the system as targeting resources on the most serious and solvable crimes. They insist all crimes are investigated to some degree.