Welshbrickie, I agree with you the response time here is much quicker but please don't forget that, in effect, there is a 'free' police force here called the Jandarma. All the lads are conscripted in for, I believe, 18 months, and are paid something like 12 tl a month.
In the UK all the forces are now having to face budget cuts, Cambridgeshire alone will have a 30% budget cut this year. It's a big County and could barely cover the area with the resources they had. Not a chance in hell now.
And if the Police do manage to catch someone they then have to contend with the CPS who, truth be known, work with figures. Is it worth prosecuting the little scroat who has, allegedly, burgled 50 houses, sells £10 of cocaine every day etc. or do they go for the 'big one'? It all comes down to money, convictions and looking good in the publics' eye.
Don't blame the Police, blame the Government. They're the ones who screwed everything up!!