Police have been accused of creating a ‘ charter for criminals ’ with a scheme that allows officers to ignore low-value offences . The powers mean they can dismiss a crime if the investigation cost outweighs the value of the item stolen or damaged . Victims have been told that unless the stolen object exceeds £50 in value , police do not have to bother with an investigation . Police have been accused of creating a ‘ charter for criminals ’ with a scheme that allows officers to ignore low-value offences ( file picture ) Last night the move was roundly condemned by MPs , anti-crime campaigners and criminologists who said the scheme handed offenders a ‘ licence to steal ’ . They said the police power of ‘ discretionary disposal ’ could forever change the criminal justice system which was founded on a principle of caution or prosecute . Mark Williams , a businessman who had his fridge stolen , was stunned to hear police would not investigate as it was worth less than £50 . The 50-year-old , of New Ferry , Wirral , was selling the fridge on eBay , with the buyer picking it up from his flat . The fridge was loaded into his van and he told Mr Williams he would secure it and then pay him . Instead , he drove away . Mr Williams called police , giving them the vehicle registration , the man ’ s name and description and details of his eBay account . Mark Williams ( pictured ) was told police would not investigate the theft of his fridge because it was worth less than £50 . But he received a letter a few days later from Merseyside Police , which read : ‘ I am sorry to inform you that the theft that you reported will not be investigated due to the low value of the fridge ( £16.00 ) as the cost of the investigation would outweigh the cost of the item stolen . ‘ The crime report will be closed using the Police Discretionary Disposal method as it is not in the public interest to pursue the offender. ’ Mr Williams said : ‘ I was absolutely astonished police have been handed the power … It is a charter for criminals , a licence to commit crimes . 'They could make a mint stealing items under the value of £50 and never face a courtroom. ’ He added : ‘ This anoints police the judge and jury … criminals who can be pursued and brought to justice will simply escape unpunished to go on to more serious and larger crimes. ’ Discretionary disposals , created to save policing costs , were first introduced in Northern Ireland and have yet to be widely used on the British mainland . But critics expressed concern that the power was an option at all . David Green , criminologist and founder of think-tank Civitas , said : ‘ In areas where there are problems of disorder it could end up tipping the balance in favour of the criminal element as opposed to the law-abiding. ’ Nick De Bois , Tory MP of the Justice Select Committee , said the disposals send ‘ a signal that crime is OK and will be tolerated at a certain level ’ , adding : ‘ If we let this take root then we are looking at criminal justice from the wrong end of the telescope. ’ Others said the powers had been introduced by stealth to avoid public outcry and called for an explanation from the Home Office . A spokesman for Families Against Crime said : ‘ This is a preposterous scheme … It ’ s time the Home Office stamped it out. ’ A Home Office spokesman said : ‘ This Government expects all police forces to investigate all crimes reported to them. ’ Merseyside Police stood by the use of discretionary disposal , which it introduced two years ago , but said it was wrongly applied in Mr Williams ’ s case – and would make ‘ further enquiries ’ . A spokesman said the scheme allowed officers to focus on the ‘ most serious ’ crimes , not those ‘ highly unlikely to be detected ’ .
Police accused of creating a 'charter for criminals ' after rolling out scheme . They can dismiss crime if investigation cost outweighs value of item stolen . Move is condemned by New Ferry , anti-crime campaigners and criminologists .