Burglary is a crime that many of us truly dread. Those unlucky enough to be victims return to their home or business to find their door kicked in or a window slipped open, their premises ransacked, and their property stolen. On the other hand, if you’re inside your property when it is burgled, the experience would no doubt be dangerous and distressing for everyone involved.
Unfortunately, circumstances like these are all too common across the country, with one burglary occurring every two minutes in the UK. This is an alarming statistic for many home and business owners, who cannot be blamed for worrying about the security and burglar-proofing of their premises, especially as being a victim of burglary can have an outsized impact on your home, family, and business.
According to figures, the cost of burglary and theft to small businesses reaches £12.9 billion every year, whereas the average value of items stolen during a home burglary adds up to £2,800, with an extra £600 for damages and repairs. This can make burglaries financially crippling, especially if you are targeted multiple times. Of course, this is on top of any distress and inconvenience caused to your family or employees. As a result, prevention is key to avoiding these dire consequences, and knowing the risks of your area is an important step in planning your response.
In Churchill’s latest crime report, we’ll look at the worst burglary hotspots in the UK. We’ll present a general overview first, before ranking the 25 worst regions for burglary across the country. Finally, we’ll discuss emerging burglary trends – both the concerning and positive – to keep you one step ahead of the game.
Across the entire UK, 281,872 burglaries were recorded in the last year alone, which translates across to a crime rate of 4.3 burglaries for every 1000 citizens. While these figures are far lower than other crime statistics, such as petty theft or public order offences, the severity and worse consequences of burglaries make their prevalence much more concerning.
There are two main types of burglary – residential and non-residential. As shown by the graphic, approximately two-thirds of burglaries are residential, which includes house, flats, apartments, mobile homes, and student accommodation. Non-residential burglaries (the other third of instances) is a much broader term, encompassing small businesses, shops, offices, compounds, and industrial sites.
While houses might be targeted more often by burglars, many of these incidents are amateurish, and will only result in a few items of value being taken. Businesses will usually face a more organized approach, largely because of the increased value of equipment inside. High-level burglaries will often involve multiple perpetrators devising a plan to break in and steal as many valuables in as short a time as possible. In this case, early warning and a rapid response will be crucial in catching the criminals before they manage to escape with thousands of pounds worth of your property.
The following areas are some of the worst in the country for burglary, which may cause concern for local residents.
As one of the UK’s southernmost counties, Dorset struggles with a high rate of burglaries at 3.6 per 1000 residents. Much of this will come from Bournemouth, Dorset’s main population hub, which has struggled with crime in recent years. The overall count for burglaries in the area was 2,824 in the last year, with 0% change from previous year’s figures.
Situated just beyond the outskirts of London, Essex is a staple of the UK’s south. Despite this, it suffers from a problematic burglary rate of 3.7 per 1000 people, with an overall count of 6,973 offences. More concerning is that the rate of burglaries is rising in the area, with a 2% annual increase.
One of the wider counties in the West Midlands, Staffordshire stretches from its namesake town in the centre to Stoke-on-Trent in the north and Alton Towers to the east. The area suffers from a burglary rate of 3.7 per 1000 residents, which equates to 4,293 burglaries and an annual increase of a shocking 6%.
As the only Welsh province on this list, Gwent is a former county that has retained its police force despite splitting into separate counties. It has a burglary rate of 3.8 per 1000 residents, much higher than the Welsh average. However, the more positive news is that Gwent’s burglaries have fallen by 16% over the past year to 2,237, which is promising for future safety.
A county encompassing the historical centre of Winchester and the key port cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire is a vital trade hub across the English Channel. With a burglary rate of 3.9 per 1000 people, the area saw a total of 7,814 burglaries last year, making it an important concern for local residents.
The West Merica police cover a region that includes Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire, making it one of the larger police forces in the country. The force reported a burglary rate of 3.9 per 1000 people last year, which had increased by a worrying 5% since the previous year to a total count of 5,120 burglaries.
Weaving around much of the outskirts of Birmingham and Coventry, Warwickshire is a largely rural area famed for Warwick castle that stands as its centrepiece. The county suffers from a burglary rate of 3.9 per 1000 residents, translating to 2,357 total incidents. Particularly concerning is the 8% increase in burglaries in the last year, a rise which could continue into the next.
An area of undulating rivers and low, rolling hills, Northamptonshire is sparsely populated but still manages to draw a burglary rate of 3.9 per 1000 people. This adds up to a total of over 3,000 burglaries, an alarming figure for such a quaint county. With burglaries increasing by 3% annually, the crime situation is only set to worsen in the future.
From sweeping valleys and rising hills, Derbyshire is home to the vast majority of the Peak District. However, the main population areas, such as Derby and Chesterfield, have attracted a burglary rate of 3.9 per 1000 residents. Of serious worry is the sharp rise of incidents, with an 11% increase in burglaries being among the fastest trends across the UK, totalling 4,185 counts.
While the city of Liverpool and its outskirts make up most of the county of Merseyside, other important towns include Southport, St. Helens, and Formby. The area’s burglary rate is 3.9 per 1000 people, and while that remains high, the figure is down 13% from the previous year to 5,687, which presents some positive news for residents who may be concerned about their property’s safety.
A county dominated by the town of Cambridge and the world-renowned university within, Cambridgeshire suffers from an overall burglary rate of 4 per 1000 citizens. The total count of burglaries in the region reached 3,600 on the dot last year, with a 7% increase responsible for the worsening state of home robberies in the region.
As the homeland of famed myths and renowned legends, Nottinghamshire (perhaps ironically) has continued with its rogue traditions, drawing a burglary rate of 4.2 per 1000 residents. While this does reach a total of 4,853 counts of burglary, the area has seen a recent decline in property-related criminal activity, with burglaries falling by 4% in the last year.
Occupying a large swathe of England’s eastern coast, Lincolnshire’s major towns include Skegness, Grantham, Spalding, and the county’s namesake Lincoln. The area suffers from a burglary rate of 4.2 per 1000 people, which adds up to a total count of 3,276, which is increasing steadily, with a 1% rise in the last year.
A former Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Northumbria of today is a much smaller but no less significant area. It is highly rural, encompassing a national park, nature reserve, and parts of Hadrian Wall. Despite this, the area’s burglary rate is a weighty 4.3 per 1000 citizens, which amounts to a surprising 6,255 offences, a fall of 7% from the previous year.
A county that wraps around the urban centres of Gloucester and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire is one of the jewels of the south. The area has a burglary rate of 4.5 per 1000 people, which totals 2,917 burglary incidents. However, the frequency of these offences are in steady decline, falling by 2% in the last year, which may make residents hopeful for further improvements.
Almost entirely dominated by the cathedral city of Leicester, the surrounding county is heavily rural. The majority of Leicestershire’s high burglary rate of 4.5 per 1000 residents will come from the city itself, amounting to a total of 5,127 instances. These figures remain largely unchanged from the previous year, with a mild 1% increase in burglaries recorded.
From the renowned seaside resort of Blackpool to the historic and educational hub of Lancaster, the county of Lancashire is a diverse one. Unfortunately, it suffers from a burglary rate of 4.6 per 1000 people, which translates across to a startling 7,208 offences. This rate decreased by 11% since the previous year, a sharp decline which is a positive sign for crime in the area.
A county just to the south of Newcastle, Durham is home to couple dozen smaller settlements and towns. The area’s safety is in a poor state, with a burglary rate of 4.9 per 1000 citizens. While the rate has fallen by 1% since the previous year, the area’s burglaries remain troublesome at 3,123 counts in total.
Covering an area that primarily consists of the East Riding of Yorkshire, Humberside police are responsible for Kingston upon Hull and the River Humber. The area’s burglary rate jumps up massively from previous entries, coming in at 6 per 1000 people, while the total number of burglaries are just as worrying at 5,666 incidents. With an increase of 6% in the last year, the situation is only set to grow worse.
As the UK’s bustling capital city, London is home to almost 9 million residents, so it’s only natural that the city will be experience a high number of burglaries. The capital’s rate of burglary is 6.3 per 1000 residents, which correlates to a whopping 56,031 individual counts, which is by far and away the largest figure in the country. Unfortunately, that stat has risen by 4% in the past year and is showing no sign of slowing down.
Home to another of the UK’s largest metropolises, Greater Manchester also encompasses the smaller cities and towns of Bolton, Rochdale, Wigan, Stockport, and Oldham. With so much urban sprawl, the area naturally has a high number of burglaries, with a rate of 6.4 per 1000 citizens, and a total of 18,687 burglary offences. It appears the situation is improving, however, with a recent fall of 20% in the area’s recorded burglaries.
Many of Yorkshire’s major population hubs, such as Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield, and Halifax, are located in the west of the region. Accordingly, the area has a startling high burglary rate, at 6.5 per 1000 residents. This has risen by 11% since the previous year, reaching a grand total of 15,417 instances.
The county of West Midlands almost entirely consists of Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton, meaning the high population density results in a similarly high burglary rate of 6.9 per 1000 people. While that does correlate to a shocking 20,457 offences annually, that figure has fallen 4% since the prior year.
Another highly urban area, South Yorkshire is home to the towns and cities of Sheffield, Rotherham, and Doncaster. The region has a total burglary count of 11,701, which may seem less serious than previous entries, but this correlates to an enormously high rate of 8.4 burglaries per 1000 residents. With a 2% increase since last year, the rate of burglaries does not appear to be slowing anytime soon.
Officially the worst burglary hotspot in the UK, the police force of Cleveland (which now cover parts of North Yorkshire and the county of Durham) deal with an extraordinarily high burglary rate of 8.8 per 1000 people. While this adds up to only 5,109 counts across the region, the high rate of crimes by population is of great concern, especially when considering the rate has increased by 10% since the previous year, meaning the frequency of burglaries remains high and is getting higher.
Despite the recent cost-of-living crisis, the overall rate of burglaries in the UK has fallen by 1%. This no doubt comes as welcome news to home and business owners, as while they must remain conscious of the threat their premises faces from burglary, improving figures may alleviate some of their concerns. Regardless, the location you live and work in have a significant influence on how prepared you need to be to ward off potential burglars.
While some areas are seeing increasing numbers of burglaries, others have seen a drastic reduction. Some of the greatest increases are found in areas such as Sussex (18% worse), Thames Valley (12% worse), West Yorkshire (11% worse), Derbyshire (11% worse), and Cleveland (10% worse), which may be an alarming sign of things to come.
On the other hand, falling rates of burglaries are prevalent in areas such as Greater Manchester (20% better), Bedfordshire (18% better), Gwent (16% better), Cumbria (16% better), Merseyside (13% better), and North Wales (13% better), which will most likely bring a sigh of relief to local residents.
Either way, home and business owners will need to take proper precautions and implement security to fully burglar-proof their premises. In this regard, a professional security company like Churchill Support Services can help. Contact us today to see how we can help safeguard your people, property, and assets.
In accordance with our commitment to provide transparent and accurate information, Churchill take all our data straight from the Police UK and Scottish Government websites. These open-source police records allow us to search by crime type and area, allowing us to calculate crime rates by population to gain the best picture of the frequency of burglary across the country.
For this particular study, we examined burglaries from September 2022 to 2023. All of our crime statistics are updated regularly, ensuring we provide you with the most recent and up-to-date information. For crime statistics across different regions and cities of the UK, see our news and insights here.
If you’re worried about burglary in your area, but don’t see your location in our ranking, see the full list below:
Total Count: 6,217, Percentage Change: -5%
Total Count: 2,344, Percentage Change: -18%
Total Count: 6,196, Percentage Change: -11%
Total Count: 3,825, Percentage Change: 6%
Total Count: 5,332, Percentage Change: 18%
Total Count: 7,952, Percentage Change: 12%
Total Count: 3,698, Percentage Change: 2%
Total Count: 3,873, Percentage Change: -4%
Total Count: 434
Total Count: 3,118, Percentage Change: -4%
Total Count: 1,405, Percentage Change: -16%
Total Count: 2,295, Percentage Change: 10%
Total Count: 1,449
Total Count: 1,839, Percentage Change: -13%
Total Count: 1,852, Percentage Change: -3%
Total Count: 1,849, Percentage Change: -9%
Total Count: 1,254, Percentage Change: -2%
Total Count: 1,919, Percentage Change: -7%
Total Count: 201
Total Count: 228
Total Count: 3,413, Percentage Change: -4%
Total Count: 1,223
Total Count: 145
Total Count: 146
Total Count: 638
