MORE police officers and more prison sentences are two of the prescriptions from Basingstoke Conservative MP Andrew Hunter for cutting down on burglary.

Mr Hunter was commenting on figures obtained by the Conservative Party that, he says, show only 1.7 per cent of burglaries lead to a custodial sentence.

The figures - obtained through parliamentary questions - show that although 18,217 burglaries were committed in Hampshire in 2002-3, only 776 burglars were brought to justice. Of those, only 310 were jailed for their crimes.

Mr Hunter said: "Prison has an important part to play in warning potential burglars that crime does not pay. Burglary is a serious crime which causes great distress for its victims.

"I am extremely concerned that only a fraction of burglars are caught and brought to justice."

Mr Hunter said he was calling on the Government "to implement Conservative policies of placing more than 1,000 more police officers on the streets of Hampshire".

He said the drug-powered "conveyor belt to crime" should also be stopped by introducing another 20,000 drug rehabilitation places across the country.