THE WEST Midlands is one of the police force areas trialling a new world first scheme which will see burglars, thieves and robbers wear GPS tags to track their movements when they are released from prison.
The Government said the action was being taken because statistics showed more than half of those convicted of theft and burglary reoffended within a year and almost 80 per cent of cases resulted in no suspect being identified.
Burglars, robbers and thieves who have served a jail sentence of a year or more will be automatically fitted with a tag on release, meaning their whereabouts could be monitored 24-hours-a-day for up to 12 months,
Police will work with staff from the HM Prison and Probation Service to investigate whether those tagged have been in the area of recent burglaries, thefts and robberies.
They say tagging will also act as a deterrent, protecting the public from further burglaries and thefts and forcing these career criminals to choose a more honest way of making a living.
It is estimated the approach will reduce the estimated £4.8billion burden the crimes place on the taxpayer every year.
