ONLY one in 12 muggings resulted in charges last year, official figures show.
The violent offence is being “effectively decriminalised” as offenders are let off the hook, it is claimed.
Of all muggings, half — 30,000 in all — went unsolved last year
Of all muggings, half — 30,000 in all — went unsolved, 80 cases a day closed with no suspect.
Most cases classed as “solved” — where an offender is identified — did not lead to charges.
West Midlands Police fared the worst, with only four per cent of muggings — classed as robbery of personal property involving violence or threats — leading to a charge.
Northamptonshire Police followed on five per cent then Avon and Somerset on six per cent, the House of Commons Library statistics reveal.
They were obtained by the Liberal Democrats whose Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney called them “shocking”.
She said: “They show muggings are being effectively decriminalised, with far too many violent criminals let off the hook.
“People feel unsafe walking down their own local streets, because this Conservative government has slashed neighbourhood policing to the bone.”
The Home Office said: “Robbery is invasive and unsettling and we expect police to take all incidents seriously.
“We are providing the resources they need and recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023.
“We’re also providing funding for crime prevention measures, including better street lighting and CCTV, and equipping police with better technology to help their investigations and catch more criminals.”
