BORDERS police have blamed the drop in housebreaking detection rates on burglars wearing gloves.

They claim that forensic evidence cannot be found when burglars are covering their hands.

From April 2018 to March 2019 there were 256 recorded incidents of ‘theft by housebreaking’, which was an 8.5 percent increase on the figures from the previous year.

Only 21.9 percent of house break-ins, including attempts, were detected over the same time period. This was a decrease by 2.7 percent on last year’s figure.

The report stated: “Ultimately the vast majority of detections or housebreakings are dependent on a positive result from any forensic evidence gained from the scene.”

“By its very nature forensic science sometimes requires a greater deal of evidence than that which can be obtained from minimal contact with surfaces by those responsible who are wearing gloves.”

The figures are published in the quarterly scrutiny report, and the findings will be presented to the community council in Newtown St. Boswells on Friday.

The Police have also been working with colleagues south of the border to tackle rural crime.

The report stated: “We have worked with our colleagues in Northumbria to target persons responsible who are crossing the Border to steal from rural farms and dwellings, and this work continues.”