Which part of the UK has had the most burglaries?

We reveal the top 10 UK burglary hotspots.

Bad news for Geordies: Newcastle is the most burgled place in the UK.

New research carried out for home security company Canary reveals that the north-eastern city has had the most break-ins of any town or city in the UK.

See if your hometown is in the top 10.

1. Newcastle

2. Brighton

3. Leeds

4. Manchester

5. Edinburgh

6. Liverpool

7. London

8. Nottingham

9. Southampton

10. Glasgow

Sadly, many victims don’t believe that burglaries will be properly investigated with only 78% of incidents reported to the police, even though one in three of us has been a victim. In fact, only 19% of burglaries result in convictions.

High time for burglaries

Research from Co-operative Insurance shows that theft claims go up 38% in the five months after the clocks go back.

And we’re coming right up to the time where burglaries are most common: Halloween and Guy Fawkes night. Aviva reports that thefts on 5th November are 21% higher than average in the UK. Longer nights make it way easier for thieves to go around unnoticed.

Even if you’ve got that Friday feeling, you should be extra vigilant at the end of the working week as this is when most people get burgled.

Many of us are doing the right thing by having an alarm fitted but we just don't take that much notice of them. Figures from Canary show that 43% of us have a home security product, but only 1.9% would alert the police if they heard it go off. It turns out that 60% of us ignore or are just irritated by neighbours’ alarms.

How to ward off burglars

Depite being a bit cavalier with alarms, Canary's research shows that 40% of us are worried that our homes will be broken into. For extra security 15% of respondents have even got a dog to deter burglars.

For the cat people out there, here are a few other things that you can do to keep thieves away.

Make them easier to catch

Put burglars off breaking in by making their job as difficult as possible.

Firstly, plant roses around the front and back garden. The roses themselves are beautiful which is a major bonus, but the prickly thorn bushes will make intruders reconsider breaking into your home in case they get startled by an unexpected sting. Similarly, gravel paths leading up to the house will make it near impossible for them to make a quiet entrance. Outdoor lights with motion sensors will catch them off-guard, making them more likely to scarper in the opposite direction.

Put heavy items in the garage or shed and lock it securely

Don’t leave ladders outside – this just makes it easier for burglars to reach open windows on the upper floor. As well as ladders, you should lock away heavy duty garden tools that burglars can use to either break in or cause you harm.

Lockdown

It’s still a good idea to have high quality locks as they’ll keep you safe and make your home insurance premiums cheaper. Go for a British kitemark approved model. 

Invest in an alarm if you don’t have one already and set it when you leave home and at night. If you don't have enough cash, a dummy alarm box might be enough to keep thieves away but those living in a high-risk area should opt for the real deal.

Be careful when you’re on holiday

Ask a neighbour to collect your post when you’re away as a pile of letters might give the game away.

Not friendly with your neighbours? Use the Royal Mail’s Keepsafe service- they’ll keep your post for up to two months while you’re away. It's a pain, but you should cancel any newspaper, subscription or other regular deliveries to avoid luring thieves in.

It can be tempting, but you really shouldn’t put posts on social media saying you’re going on holiday: you’d be as well telling the local burglary ring that your home is unoccupied.

And, whatever else you do, don’t ‘hide’ your key under the doormat.

What to do if you get burgled

First, it’s important that you re-visit the incident in your mind, however much you don’t want to.

On the off-chance that you saw the burglar in action, try and remember any of descriptive features  such as age, height, clothing and the direction they were going in when they left your home. Note them down as soon as you can.

Your first ports of call after you've been burgled are the police and your home insurer.

The police will give you a unique crime reference number after they’ve investigated your case. Keep this and the list of lost or damaged goods for contacting your home insurer. Call them within 24 hours and fill out a claims form to make sure you get what you’re entitled to. You should also keep receipts and damaged items as a loss adjuster might want to see them.

Don’t touch anything at the crime scene as the police’s best chance of finding the perpetrator is by tracing their DNA. Just make a list of everything that was stolen with as little interference as possible.

Re-secure the windows and doors damaged during the break-in to prevent further incidents. Use this as a warning sign that you need to shop around for higher-grade windows and doors (and locks), as well as a new home insurance quote.

Having your home broken into can be a very traumatic experience. Those that are struggling should contact Victim Support through its website or by calling 0845 303 0900. It's open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday from 5pm to Monday at 8am.

If the burglar is caught, you could be eligible for victim compensation. This means that if the criminal is convicted they’ll be ordered to cover you for loss or damage. You’ll need to tell the police in advance if you want this.  

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