Half of all crimes are not investigated because police focus on cases that are 'a priority for them and not victims' Police are choosing not to fully investigate hundreds of thousands of crimes because they are deemed 'unsolvable' Police are choosing not to fully investigate hundreds of thousands of crimes, including street attacks, burglaries and fraud. Huge numbers of cases are deemed unsolvable hours after an allegation is made, in a process known as "screening out." According to figures released yesterday, almost half of all crimes are not probed by the Met, Britain's biggest police force. Recent research revealed as many as one in three crimes reported to other forces across the rest of England and Wales were not investigated. Campaigners said the practice was creating a "postcode lottery" for victims as police effectively turn a blind eye to some offences. Senior officers were under pressure to focus resources on crimes that were a priority for them and not victims. New statistics revealed that 45 per cent of crimes, including a quarter of robberies, two out of five burglaries and three quarters of car thefts were not investigated in London last year. Furthermore, 40 per cent of individual fraud cases, almost two thirds of criminal damage allegations and four out of every five cycle thefts were screened out. In total, 346,397 were screened out at an early stage with 424,091 crimes being subjected to further investigation. Roger Evans, a Tory member of the London Assembly, branded the statistics a disgrace and said victims should have the right to make police investigate. He said: "Resources are tight, but crimes such as burglary are in no way minor. They can have a devastating impact on the confidence and well-being of the victim. "Many criminals" illegal activities escalate each time they get away with it, so we are sending out a very dangerous message. If you are a thief in London, you can rest assured that over three quarters of your crimes reported by victims will be ignored by police. We need a dramatic shift in the way police see these crimes - they may not be exciting enough to investigate but they are serious. The figures will make difficult reading for Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who signalled that he would phase out the practice when he came into office in 2011. According to figures released yesterday, almost half of all crimes are not probed by the Met, Britain¿s biggest police force The most recent figures showed as many as one in three crimes - almost 650,000 out of just over two million crimes - were not investigated across England and Wales. Senior officers have said the practice evolved as a way of making the best of limited resources and focusing on priorities. They insisted that any crimes where there was the likelihood of identifying a suspect would be vigorously pursued. Murder, violent offences and rape are always investigated, as are cases where there is a named suspect or forensic evidence. But Javed Khan, who leads the charity Victim Support, said many victims would feel justice was not being done. He added: "It is the service that is provided to victims, rather than meeting targets, that should be the clear focus for all police forces. It is outrageous that a postcode lottery of this nature exists. Victims should expect a proper response to their reports, regardless of where they live in the country. A spokesman for the Met said it investigated every single allegation of crime that it received. "A number of crime allegations will require secondary investigation once the initial investigation is complete" he said. The Met currently conducts secondary investigations in approximately 60 per cent of all crime allegations, as compared to the national average of 45 per cent. The Met is concentrating on improving the quality and rigour of initial investigations in order to improve the service to victims by reducing the need for follow- up visits.