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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 17-2024
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 4th January 2024 as follows:
Can you provide the number of dogs that were reported as stolen in the past 5 years across Warwickshire (2018-2023)?
Can you split these figures by city/town across Warwickshire please?
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below. When reviewing the information, please note that it was obtained by searching all recorded crimes during the stated period under the categories of ‘Burglary’, ‘Robbery’ and ‘Theft’ where the MO description contains keywords ‘dog’ or ‘pup’. The resulting records were then checked for relevance and to remove any false positives.
However, it is important to note that, should there be any relevant offences but where the stated keywords have not been mentioned within the MO Description, then these will not have been captured within the response. For this reason the information cannot be assumed to be entirely accurate. In order to determine whether this is the case, it would be necessary to read and review each and every offence falling under the listed categories during the stated period. Such searches would exceed the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
Q1 response:
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Grand Total* |
7 |
19 |
23 |
31 |
14 |
11 |
105 |
*Please note that the figure represents the number of dogs stolen as requested, not the number of crimes recorded; in some cases more than one animal has been stolen per crime.
Q2 response: I can advise that the requested information is held; however, not all of the information requested is suitable for disclosure. Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires Warwickshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:
(a) states that fact,
(b) specifies the exemption in question and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
The exemption applicable in this case is:
Section 40(2) Personal Information
Section 40 is an absolute class based exemption, which does not require evidence of the harm disclosure would cause and does not require consideration of a public interest test. That being said, where Section 40(2) is engaged, in order to make the exemption absolute there needs to be evidence that a Data Protection Principle would be breached by disclosure.
This exemption is engaged where disclosure of information relates to personal data of a third party or could lead to the identification of an individual, either from that information alone or combined with any other information from within the Police Service or public domain. In this case, due to extremely low numbers of thefts recorded in small geographical areas such as villages, providing the exact location is likely to lead to the identification of an individual. Such a disclosure would breach individuals’ rights under the Data Protection Act 2018, in particular Article 5(1) of the GDPR which states that personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.
This letter serves as a refusal notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act in relation to information being provided by exact location.
Information I am able to provide is broken down by policing area below.
Policing District |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Grand Total |
North Warwickshire District |
|
1 |
4 |
4 |
|
2 |
11 |
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough |
2 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
38 |
Rugby Borough |
3 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
|
2 |
18 |
Stratford-upon-Avon District |
2 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
28 |
Warwick District |
|
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
Outside Force Area |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
Grand Total |
7 |
19 |
23 |
31 |
14 |
11 |
105 |
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB