More than 500 homes are burgled every day, new figures reveal

Do you live in a burglary hotspot? More than 500 homes burgled every day – we reveal which areas have had the biggest uptick in the past year

  • A total of 527 home burglaries took place every day in England and Wales
  • The biggest increase in burglaries annually was in Leicestershire
  • Londoners saw the most burglaries last year, with police getting 40,257 reports 

More than 500 homes were burgled every day in England and Wales last year, new data reveals.

The figures from insurer Churchill are based on data from 44 police forces and found there were 527 home burglaries reported each day – an increase on 2021, when there were 523 burglaries a day.

The biggest increases in burglaries annually in percentage terms were in Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Cleveland, with an uptick of 39 per cent, 30 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

The areas with the biggest rise in the number of burglaries during the past year have been revealed (scroll down for the full table of areas)

A total of 527 home burglaries took place every day in England and Wales, new figures have revealed

London residents reported the most burglaries last year, with the Metropolitan Police receiving 40,257 reports, followed by Greater Manchester at 16,761 and the West Midlands at 15,844 respectively.

Some of the biggest falls in domestic burglaries last year were in Devon and Cornwall, Merseyside, and South Wales.

In Devon and Cornwall, burglaries dropped 21 per cent in 2022 compared with the previous year, while burglaries also fell by 16 per cent in Merseyside and 12 per cent in South Wales.

The research found there were 3,536 aggravated domestic burglaries in 2022, where the criminal was armed with a firearm or weapon.

It means there were 103 more aggravated burglaries last year compared with 2021.

It follows a separate survey of burglary victims by Churchill that found more than one in ten – at 12 per cent – households were burgled in the past five years.

Of those burgled, the overwhelming majority at 97 per cent said it had an impact on their family and day-to-day life.

More than half of those burgled at 54 per cent were in the property at the time of the burglary, while 44 per cent were not.

Most victims of burglary stated they experienced a mixture of feelings at the time, but being angry at 27 per cent, feeling less safe at 23 per cent and scared at 19 per cent were most common.

The average value of items stolen in burglaries was £1,368. Jewellery at 18 per cent, laptops or computers at 17 per cent and money at 17 per cent were the items typically stolen.

How to protect against burglaries 

Top tips to help make your home as safe as possible against the threat of burglary: 

  • Do the basics well: Sometimes an unlocked door or open window can be the only invitation a burglar needs to break into a home. Always make sure you lock all doors and windows at night or before going out, and ensure that all easily accessible, high value items such as wallets, phones and laptops are kept out of sight.
  • Make life hard for burglars: As well as installing security measures like cameras and alarms, also consider other items that may be useful for breaking and entering, such as ladders or hammers. Large hedges, fences or trees can also give burglars the cover they need to carry out their actions undetected.
  • Take steps when you go away: Before you go on holiday, cancel any papers or milk you might have delivered and install timers which switch lights or radios on automatically. This will make it harder for potential burglars to identify that a house is unoccupied.
  • Look out for your neighbours: Neighbourhood Watch schemes operate around the country and anyone can get involved. They are set up to allow local people to help the police cut crime and are led by volunteer co-ordinators who get everyone together to discuss how they can make their area a safer place to live.

Sarah Khan, of Churchill home insurance, said: ‘This research highlights the importance of being extra vigilant, as burglaries are increasing in many parts of England and Wales.

‘Worryingly, many burglaries are committed while the victims are at home. In the hot summer weather, it can be tempting to leave windows open during evening or at night.

‘However, it’s important to take extra security precautions to make life as hard as possible for potential intruders by checking your doors, windows and garden gates are locked and keep valuables out of sight. Installing security lights, a home alarm system or a smart doorbell can also make your home more secure.

‘As the average burglary results in the loss of more than £1,000 worth of belongings, it’s sensible to ensure you have adequate home contents and buildings cover in place.

‘Our policies not only cover the cost of replacement belongings, but our burglary response team are on hand to replace broken locks, secure smashed windows, and board up broken door panels at any time to ensure our customers feel safe in their homes as soon as possible after a break-in.’

All police forces were looked at in the research, including the British Transport Police – but they were removed from the map of the top ten worst affected areas – by percentage increase – as the actual total number is so small. 

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