Police have been urged to improve poor crime detection rates so paramilitary groups can go out of business. Loyalist leader Jackie McDonald last night revealed the UDA is being inundated with requests from victims of crime to investigate burglaries and break-ins.

He says the PSNI's failure to tackle these crimes is prolonging the life of paramilitary groups.

McDonald's concerns were raised after it recently emerged new Chief Constable Matt Baggott is considering introducing a number of radical schemes to reduce rocketing crime rates.

“People in my community just don't have confidence in the police, I hate to say that, but it's true,” McDonald told Sunday Life.

“That's why they are coming to the UDA about stuff like burglaries.

“The UDA tells them to go to the PSNI — but they say, ‘What's the point? Nothing will be done'.

“Paramilitaries want to go out of business, but the police's inability to get on top of crime, especially crimes like burglary, is prolonging their lifespan.”

Almost 12,500 burglaries occurred in Northern Ireland during the 2008-09 financial year, an average of 34 per day.

Around 1,500 of these took place in Jackie McDonald's south Belfast stomping ground — the most crime-ridden area of Ulster.

People living in south Belfast are 15 times more likely to be burgled than those living in Magharafelt, which has the lowest break-in rates in Northern Ireland.

Despite its best efforts the PSNI is losing the battle against burglars, with detectives solving just one in 10 cases.

Even more worrying is that statistics for the first quarter of the current financial year show that burglary rates are increasing.

Between April and August 5, 310 burglaries were recorded throughout Northern Ireland — a seven per cent jump on figures for the same quarter last year.

Policing Board member Basil McCrea, whose home has been broken into twice, yesterday called on the PSNI to introduce a three-point plan to curb spiralling burglary rates.

He said: “Police need to direct more resources into tackling prolific offenders.

“They have to raise awareness about how to secure your home and invest more money in neighbourhood watch schemes.”

Tackling rising burglary rates is now a main priority for new PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

Sources close to the top cop told Sunday Life that he is looking at a number of radical schemes to curb break-ins.

Among these is ensuring all criminals being released from jail are met at the prison gates by police officers.

Mr Baggott hopes this will dissuade them from reoffending — current figures show that 70 per cent of lags go on to commit further crimes when they are freed. Amazingly this statistic is even higher for burglars.

Police estimate that around two dozen hardcore criminals are responsible for the majority of break-ins throughout Northern Ireland.

Two infamous members of this clique are currently languishing behind bars.

Last year Newtownabbey man James Meneely was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for stealing goods worth £170,000 during 101 break-ins over a four-year period.

South Belfast man Lee Nathaniel Sloss, who has 93 convictions for burglary, is also serving a sentence at Maghaberry Prison.