Sussex home to more unsolved bike thefts than almost anywhere else

File photo dated 22/10/14 of a Police officer, as according to new figures, some of the UK's biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, with hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people reported to police so far in 2014 - including more than 300 in London alone. Scotland Yard recorded 1,073 violent homophobic offences between January and October, up from 1,007 in 2013 and 1,002 in 2012.

More bike thefts in Sussex were closed without police identifying a suspect than almost anywhere else in England and Wales last year, figures reveal.

They were among over 1 million unsolved cases of theft across England and Wales, which charity Victim Support said undermines the public's confidence in the justice system.

Home Office figures show Sussex Police closed 31,015 theft probes in 2021 – 81% of which had the outcome "investigation complete – no suspect identified".

This was up from 78% in 2020.

Of the 2,063 bicycle thefts in the area, 95% were unsolved – the joint-highest nationally, excluding the City of London which has a low resident population.

This compared to an average of 90% across all 42 police forces, and 66% in Cumbria.

A further 6% of all theft cases in Sussex closed with a suspect identified and the victim supporting an investigation but "evidential difficulties prevented further action", while 7% were closed because the victim dropped the case.

And just 4% resulted in a charge or summons – in line with the year before.