Incidents of Postage Theft 2019 - 2022
Keywords
Incidents, Postage, Theft, Postcode, Mail.
Publication Number
PUB 1471
FOI Reference Number
17040
Request Title
Incidents of Postage Theft 2019 - 2022
Date Range
January 2019 to March 2022
Information Requested
I would like to know the numbers of reported incidents of postage theft in your police force, separated by year.
I would like this data for the last three calendar years – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – and, if possible, I would also like this data for Quarter 1 of 2022 (January – March).
If possible, could the data please be broken down by the postcode area in which it occurred.
Disclosure with Exemptions
Full Disclosure
Information Correct as at
17 May 2022
Date of Disclosure
23 May 2022
Related Documents/Links
FOI 17040 Response
Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request. Under Section 1(1)(b) the below and attached have been provided in relation to your request:
Caveats:
The data is correct as at 17 May 2022.
Data extracted from the Athena Crime system using Business Objects to show all notifiable offences with a created date between 01 January 2019 and 31 March 2022, where the HO Classification has been recorded as 42 to show all Theft of Mail/Attempt Theft of Mail Offences.
I would like to know the numbers of reported incidents of postage theft in your Police force, separated by year. I would like this data for the last three calendar years – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – and, if possible, I would also like this data for Quarter 1 of 2022 (January – March).
|
Created Year |
Count of Crimes |
|
2019 |
217 |
|
2020 |
302 |
|
2021 |
1126 |
|
2022 |
243 |
If possible, could the data please be broken down by the postcode area in which it occurred.
Please see attached.
No further information will be provided by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 31 Law Enforcement
Section 40(2) Personal Information
Harm
As you will be aware, any release under the FOIA is a disclosure to the world, not just to the individual making the request. Whilst not questioning the motives of the applicant, there are concerns with regards to disclosing full postcodes especially where postal crime is higher as this could aid those with criminal intent to recognise those more vulnerable areas.
Disclosure of the requested information would be invaluable to those with criminal intent, as this would allow offenders to be in a position to determine whether or not Essex Police are aware of their offending behaviour and allow them the opportunity to use this knowledge to their own advantage in furthering criminal activity around the force. If those with criminal intent were to use the information to their own advantage it would significantly impact on the core law enforcement function which is the prevention and detection of crime as well as significantly increasing the risk of harm to individuals.
Public Interest Considerations
Factors favouring disclosure of information for Section 31
To provide full postcodes in relation to postal theft would allow a greater understanding of where public funds are being allocated and to identify those areas where Essex Police investigates this type of crime. It may encourage individuals to provide intelligence in order to assist with investigations and would also promote public trust in providing transparency and demonstrating openness and accountability into where the Police are currently focusing their investigations.
Factors against disclosure of information Section 31
Essex Police take their responsibility to investigation crime seriously, to provide details of specific addresses where postal crime is higher could aid those with criminal intent to recognise those more vulnerable areas. Essex Police would never disclose information which could identify investigative activity and, therefore, undermine investigations and law enforcement.
Section 40(2) Personal Information
Providing any further breakdown in relation to postcode areas may allow individuals to be identified.
Balance Test
The Police Service is charged with enforcing the law, preventing and detecting crime and protecting the communities we serve, Essex Police would not disclose information that may impact investigations and potential future law enforcement.
Every effort is made to ensure that the data provided by Essex Police is accurate and complete. However, Essex Police systems are designed primarily for the management of individual cases and not for the purposes of providing data to answer specific FOI enquiries. Please note although data can be extracted from a number of sources via database queries, the results may be subject to inaccuracies. Care should be taken to understand our return when considering the interpretation or further use of the data.