Police Crime Figures

After reading todays Birmingham Mail I have a couple of observations on this story,

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/loc...-thirds-4282770

The first one is, I wonder if this is why the crime figures in Birmingham are dropping, it's not hard to understand if the police are failing to record other crimes as well.

Secondly, shoplifting is a criminal offence which has to be reported to the police where a decision is the made by the DPP to prosecute, caution or dismiss the charges. How is it then that the stores are often left to deal with these cases. Not that I'm against the idea and I'm just wondering how long it will be before members of the public are left to deal with those who steal our property?

Phil I have been attending meetings with the Police for around ten years and still do. We have always been told how crime is being cut.
If it was being cut as much as I have heard over the years the police would go out shoplifting to stay in a job.