More than three-quarters of all crimes reported in Wells over the past year have gone unresolved, according to new police data.

Figures covering the period from March 2024 to February 2025 show that of the 984 recorded crimes in the city, the majority either remain under investigation, were closed without a prosecution, or have no publicly available outcome.

The most common status applied was 'status update unavailable', which appeared on 306 cases — representing 31.1% of all reported crime. A further 268 cases, or 27.2%, were recorded as 'unable to prosecute suspect', while 165 offences, or 16.8%, are still under investigation.

In contrast, only a small number of crimes led to formal legal action. Just eight cases, or 0.8%, resulted in a caution, and only two suspects — 0.2% of the total — were charged as part of another case.

Other recorded outcomes included 108 cases marked under 'other', 25 where further investigation was deemed not in the public interest, and 20 where no suspect was identified. In 16 cases, formal action was ruled not in the public interest.

There were also 15 cases where the action was referred to another organisation, 10 classed as local resolution, another 10 with court results unavailable, and 25 still awaiting court outcomes.

Overall, this means around 80% of all reported crimes in Wells over the last 12 months did not result in a charge, caution, or formal conclusion.

In terms of crime types, violence and sexual offences accounted for the largest proportion by a considerable margin. There were 407 incidents in this category, making up 41.4% of all reported crime in Wells during the year.

The next most frequent offences were shoplifting, with 125 reports (12.7%), followed by anti-social behaviour with 108 incidents (11%), and public order offences with 97 reports (9.9%). Other thefts accounted for 84 crimes (8.5%), while criminal damage and arson were reported 64 times (6.5%).

Burglaries made up 3.3% of the total, with 32 incidents recorded. Vehicle crime accounted for 1.8%, with 18 reports. Drug offences and robberies were both reported 12 times, and possession of weapons was logged on seven occasions.

Less common crimes included bicycle theft, with four cases, and one case of theft from the person.

Crime rates fluctuated month by month, with the highest number of offences recorded in November 2024, when 101 crimes were reported — representing 10.3% of the yearly total.

April followed closely behind with 98 offences, while September and October each saw 91 crimes recorded. The quietest month was February 2025, which saw 64 crimes, while January and July followed with 66 and 65 respectively.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "We are committed to investigating all reports of crime thoroughly and providing victims with the support they need.

"In many cases, the outcomes listed reflect the complexity of investigations or the evidence available at the time. We continue to work closely with local communities in Wells to reduce offending and improve public safety."