Cleveland in North East England has been named the country’s biggest burglary hotspot.
Cleveland Police, which covers towns like Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, reported over 4,000 residential burglaries in the year ending September 2023 – a ratio of one burglary for every 61 homes , more than any other police force area.
The research, by Go.Compare Home Insurance, looked at Home Office crime figures and Census data to pinpoint areas with the highest ratio of households per burglary.
South Yorkshire had the second-worst ratio nationwide, with one burglary for every 66 households, followed by the West Midlands, at one burglary every 75 households.
Nathan Blackler, a home insurance expert at Go.Compare, said: “Living somewhere with high crime rates can have a negative impact on the price of your home insurance, as providers will believe that you’re more likely to claim.
“But if you live in one of the country’s burglary hotspots, it’s important that you prioritise keeping your home safe. Make sure you maximise your home security and be sure to get a policy in place to protect you if the worst happens. Otherwise, you risk being hit with the cruel double-whammy of having to cover any losses from a break-in yourself.
“There are still things you can do to reduce your premiums. Adding improved security features, joining a Neighborhood Watch scheme and paying annually can all lower your costs. Regularly comparing policies will also make sure you’re constantly getting the best price for your cover.”
At the other end of the scale, Devon and Cornwall had the lowest burglary rate in the country with a ratio of 1:395. Norfolk and Suffolk also place in the top three, with burglary rates of just 1:335 and 1:297.
Wales was found to have low burglary rates as well. Out of the country’s four police force areas, three ranked among the 10 lowest burglary rates across England and Wales. Dyfed-Powys (which covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys) claims the country’s lowest burglary rate with a ratio of 1:267 – ranking joint sixth overall alongside North Yorkshire.
South and North Wales were also named among the safest places for burglaries, with ratios of just 1:250 and 1:244 respectively. Although Gwent has the highest ratio of burglaries in Wales (1:170), it still places in the lowest 50% out of all the regions in England and Wales.
This means that Wales has a much better burglary rate than England overall. There is one burglary for every 129 homes in England, while Wales sees a ratio of just 1:231.