POLICE in Dorset solved just 12 per cent of all reported crimes last year, according to new figures.

Senior officers dispute the data, which appears to show that 90 per cent of all crime in some areas of the county goes unpunished.

The figures, released by The Sunday Times, show that 12.97 per cent of crime in Bournemouth was solved in 2017. In east Dorset, just 10.29 per cent of crime was solved.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Cooper said the statistics don't reflect the force's successes.

"The figures are simply a snapshot in time," he said.

"Due to the time it takes to complete downloads and prepare and upload information, care must be taken with using it as definitive data.

"Our validated data shows that the overall positive outcome rate across the county in 2017 was 20.3 per cent for 49,575 crimes. "Dorset Police is committed to investigating all reports of crime and this detection rate is above the national average of 15.7 per cent."

Police forces provide crime data for data.police.uk, which is cross-referenced with Ministry of Justice files.

It provides a detailed record of every crime, and whether the crime has been solved, with the offenders caught and convicted or given another penalty.

Detective Chief Superintendent Cooper said: "While we understand the public’s interest in detection rates, it is also important to emphasise that they are not the only measure of investigative performance. Although a crime may not have resulted in a criminal justice outcome, it still will have been investigated.

"There are different ways of investigating a crime, including telephone investigation conducted by a call handler, the attendance of a police officer at the scene or by a specialist member of staff, such as a crime scene investigator or a high-tech crime analyst.

"Additionally, even if a criminal justice outcome is not recorded, a huge amount of work can take place, including safeguarding vulnerable victims, working with partners to respond to community issues or resolve anti-social behaviour, taking an educational approach for lower-level first-time offenders or organising local restorative justice.

"It is also honest and realistic to recognise that some crimes simply aren’t solvable, as there are no viable lines of enquiry or information given is not detailed enough to pursue. Nevertheless, Dorset Police ensures crimes are recorded when allegations are made, so people can have faith in our statistics.

"We understand the impact crime has on victims and feel it is important to work with them by keeping them regularly updated with assistance of the Victims’ Bureau and officers are able to signpost them to crime prevention advice to help protect them from becoming victims of further crime."