Recent data has shown that Avon and Somerset Police now take an average of five hours and 21 minutes to respond to burglary calls, a significant increase from the previous figure of three hours and ten minutes in 2021/22.

This 68% increase in response times was highlighted in figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats through a Freedom of Information request sent to 39 police forces across England.

The current response time is well above the national average, which stands at nine hours and eight minutes for police to attend a reported burglary.

Avon and Somerset's Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative Government for these figures, arguing that years of ineffective resourcing have left local forces overstretched and unable to focus on crimes like burglaries.

This includes taking over 4,500 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) off the streets since 2015, and assigning just 12% of officers to neighbourhood policing teams.

The party is calling for a new "Burglary Response Guarantee," under which all domestic burglaries would be attended by the police and properly investigated.

This would be accompanied by a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and focused on tackling neighbourhood crime.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Avon and Somerset, Benet Allen said: "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and confident that if they are burgled, the criminal will swiftly face justice. It's hard for people in Avon and Somerset to feel that confidence, thanks to these shocking figures.

"Yet again, this Conservative Government are failing to even get the basics right on cutting crime. It's a shame that our communities are paying the price.

"People in Avon and Somerset deserve better - which is why the Liberal Democrats will keep fighting to restore proper community policing and implement our Burglary Response Guarantee. It's the only way to bring an end to this shameful burglar bailout."

In response, Mark Shelford, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset, defended the police's record.

"This criticism from the Liberal Democrats is a cynical attempt to gain political ground without offering any real solutions," he argued. "In fact, residential burglaries in Avon and Somerset have decreased by over 16% year on year, a significant achievement compared to the national reduction of only 2.6%. This is a fact that the critics conveniently ignore."