FOI 268422
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 268422
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 2nd August 2023. Please find below the response to your request:
I am writing to make an open government request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would like answers to the questions below to be provided to me via email.
Q1 How many instances of parcel theft (i.e. parcels stolen from somebody’s doorstep, or other cases where thieves steal a package, for example by impersonating a delivery person or homeowner) were reported between the following dates (NOTE: If the request will be too time-consuming, please share the most recent cases first)?
- 01/08/2022 – 31/07/2023
Q2 If possible, can you share the number of reported instances of parcel theft (i.e. parcels stolen from somebody’s doorstep, or other cases where thieves steal a package, for example by impersonating a delivery person or homeowner) by month for each of the date ranges provided in question one or, if this is not possible, any data that would make it possible to calculate this?
Q3 If possible, can you share either the total reported value of stolen parcels for the date ranges provided in question one or, if this is not possible, any data that would make it possible to calculate this?
Q4 If possible, can you share the most common time of day when parcels were stolen (using the date ranges provided in question one) in the following format, or, if not possible, any data that would make it possible to calculate this?
- A - 09.01 – 17.00
- B - 17.01 – 22.00
- C - 22.01 – 09.00
Q5 If possible, can you share the most common age of the people reporting theft (for the date ranges provided in question one) in the following format, or any data that would make it possible to calculate this?
- A - 21 and under
- B - 22-34
- C - 35-44
- D - 45-54
- E - 55-64
- F - 65 and over
If answering the above questions is not possible, could you please advise as to what relevant information would be attainable, or where the information might already exist in the public domain.
Reply
Your request for information has been considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”), and I am not obliged to provide the information requested.
S.12(1) of the Act states that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the “appropriate limit”. For police forces in England and Wales, the "appropriate limit" is £450 or 18 hours of work as set by the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
The information you have requested for the Q3 the value of stolen parcels is not available in a readily retrievable format, it is not recorded on a separate data field, occasionally this is included within the crime report. There are over 617 records. In order to ascertain whether the information you have requested is held would take in excess of 30 hours as each record would have to be checked individually.
In accordance with s.17(5) of the Act, this acts as a Refusal Notice.
Under s.16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request.
However, In accordance with Section 16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request and can provide the information requested for questions 1, 2, 4 & 5 as this was retrieved during our initial research. This should not be taken as a precedent that additional information would be supplied outside of the time/fees legislation for any subsequent requests.
Q1 & Q2
|
Year and Month offence reported |
Total |
|
2022 |
342 |
|
August |
42 |
|
September |
56 |
|
October |
58 |
|
November |
81 |
|
December |
105 |
|
2023 |
275 |
|
Januray |
35 |
|
February |
37 |
|
March |
35 |
|
Apri |
35 |
|
May |
41 |
|
June |
48 |
|
July |
44 |
|
Grand Total |
617 |
Q4
|
Time range offence reported |
Total |
|
09:00 to 16:59 |
348 |
|
17:00 to 21:59 |
203 |
|
22:00 to 08:59 |
66 |
|
Grand Total |
617 |
Q5
Caveat: West Mercia do not record the age of the person reporting, this data has been taken from the listed victim.
|
Age range of victim |
Total |
|
21 and under |
42 |
|
22 to 34 |
231 |
|
35 to 44 |
125 |
|
45 to 54 |
113 |
|
55 to 64 |
38 |
|
65 and over |
27 |
|
Unknown |
41 |
|
Grand Total |
617 |