Wiltshire Police is joining the other police forces in the country in pledging to have officers personally visit all victims of domestic burglary. 

This comes after damning figures have shown that a minuscule percentage of burglaries in the county have resulted in someone being charged, which is also a reflection of the national picture. 

As reported in The Times, in the past 12 months, there were 1,103 domestic burglaries reported to Wiltshire Police, but only 28 people were charged.

This has led to the College of Policing, who set standards for policing, setting out the benefits of officers actually attending burglaries in a recent letter to all chiefs. 

In response, the NPCC (National Police Chief’s Council) today set out its joint pledge that all forces in England and Wales will attend all home burglaries - following a review of evidence from the College of Policing and in response to public opinion.

The evidence review shared by the College set out how rapid police attendance at scenes can increase victim satisfaction and help with investigations.

Wiltshire Police says that officers currently attend about 90 per cent (88.7 per cent) of all reported residential burglaries but is 'determined' to build on this record.

Assistant Chief Constable Craig Dibdin said: “Anyone who has suffered a burglary will know the long-lasting impact it can have - knowing that someone has violated your home can be a hugely unsettling experience which goes beyond any financial damage caused.

“Very often items that are stolen in a residential burglary have sentimental value and can be irreplaceable.

“This coupled with the invasive nature of burglary underlines why it is so important that we respond to such crimes as a priority.

“We know that ensuring our officers attend burglaries at the earliest opportunity will not only provide reassurance but also increase the chance of preserving potential evidence which could support a prosecution.

"We are determined to bring more criminals to justice and support victims of such crimes.”

The county's force was put in special measures earlier this year, and further figures about overall investigations in Wiltshire show that 9-out-of-10 cases don't even get to court, with a third of them having no suspects identified. 

Further reports showed that Wiltshire Police had sometimes failed to protect domestic abuse victims, and had also failed to safeguard children. 

Like they have with burglaries, Wiltshire Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner have vowed to improve on all of these.