THERESA MAY suffered a “day of shame” yesterday as Britain’s crime wave was laid bare by shock figures revealing a surge in knife attacks, murders and robberies.

At the same time, damning figures revealed the number of police officers was at a 36-YEAR low and fewer than one in ten crimes led to a suspect being charged or summonsed.

3 Theresa May faces fresh criticism after the latest crime figures were released Credit: AFP or licensors

The Office for National Statistics said knife crime hit a record high in the year to March with 40,147 offences recorded by cops – equal to nearly 5 every HOUR.

Homicides soared 12 per cent to a ten–year high while the number of robberies leapt 30 per cent with almost half of all of them in London. Rape was up 30 per cent and sexual offences 24 per cent.

Vehicle related thefts soared 17 per cent to more than 920,000.

At the same time the Home Office said the number of police officers had fallen by 738 to 122,404 – thought to be the lowest since 1981.

3 Crime has soared as the latest figures have been revealed

And separate figures revealed only NINE per cent of suspects are being charged or taken to court – the lowest detection rate since 2015. Three quarters of theft cases last year were closed with no suspect identified.

Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said it was a “shameful day for the Prime Minister”.

She stormed: “With violent crime increasing and detection rates falling so fast, it’s clear the police desperately need our support.

“But this Tory government has broken its promise to protect funding, with police funding cut in real terms and fewer police officers on our streets.

3 The Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said the figures were 'appalling' Credit: PA:Press Association

The Sun Says THE huge surge in serious crime shames the supposed party of law and order. It is no coincidence murders, rapes, robberies and knife attacks are soaring with police numbers at a 36-year low. For years the Tories considered their necessary cuts to budgets safe enough. The evidence against is now irrefutable. But more cash is not the only answer. Many forces are appallingly led, obsessed with their image, with social media virtue-signalling and investigations driven by political correctness, all while ignoring the basics of keeping the public and their property safe. Home Secretary Sajid Javid must secure more money and reverse this horrific trend

“While the Government continues to deny any link between the rise in serious crime and the cuts to police officer numbers, today we see what an appalling and traumatic impact Theresa May’s decisions have had on our society.”

Police Minister Nick Hurd insisted the likelihood of being a victim “remains low”.

Gauke wants jail to do more than punish JAIL must “change the lives” of lags, not just punish them, Justice Secretary David Gauke said yesterday. He said sentences could be used to give some "hope" of bettering themselves to prisoners and that rehabilitation could lower re-offending rates. Mr Gauke also commented that "society would be stronger" if ex-cons could find a stable place in a community after being released, as it would mean they were less likely to go back to criminal ways.

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Police recorded crime year to March 2018 Knife crime up 16 per cent to 40,147

Homicides up 12 per cent to 701

Firearms offences two per cent to 6,492

Vehicle related thefts up 17 to 924,000

Robberies up 30 per cent to 77,103

Burglaries up six per cent to 437,537

But he said: “Every violent crime is a significant concern and the Government is taking decisive action to tackle it.”

Yvette Cooper, the Labour chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “The big increases once again in serious and violent crime are very disturbing and the Home Office strategy is nowhere near enough to deal with this.

“Right now it looks like the Government is being distracted from its most basic responsibility of all – keeping our people in this country safe.”