THE MP for Oxford East has said policing needs to be effective and criminals need to be brought to justice.

Andrew Smith was speaking after the former head of Thames Valley Police said burglary victims should be asked to email evidence to the force so officers do not have to attend the crime scene.

Sara Thornton, who was in charge of TVP until April when she left to become the first head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, claimed letting members of the public upload photos on to “digital crime reports” could speed up police responses.

Labour’s Mr Smith said: “Of course contacting the police by email can have a role to play, but the collection of evidence often requires a visit to the crime scene and the public need reassurance that when they report a crime their information is being acted on.”

The leader of the country’s chief constables made the remarks just days after it emerged some police officers had been refusing to investigate burglaries if the victims live in a house with an odd number.

In a blog post, Ms Thornton said that preventing and investigating burglaries would always be important but added methods used “may have to change”.

She wrote: “If the offenders have fled the scene before the police are called then fingerprints, footwear marks and DNA could be gathered without sending an officer.

“As we all have access to more technology it is easy to envisage how victims might be able to quickly upload photographs or video on to digital crime reports.”