Map reveals Britain’s burglary hotspots where late-night raids leave families terrified – do YOU live in a danger zone?
BURGLARY hotspots in England and Wales where thousands of homes are broken into every month have been revealed.
The Sun has compiled and analysed the latest data and created a series of maps pinpointing where each area ranks.
The numbers are calculated to show the level of crime proportionate to the amount of people who live there.
In general, our maps show northern regions of England tended to perform the worst.
South Yorkshire and Cleveland police areas have the highest level of burglaries recorded per 1,000 population.
South Yorkshire Police and Cleveland Police recorded 7.6 burglaries per 1,000 people, according to the latest ONS figures up to September 2024.
In comparison, Devon and Cornwall Police in the South West logged a mere 2.1 burglaries per 1,000 people.
Dissecting the statistics even further, burglary can be split into three subcategories: residential, households and non-residential.
For residential burglaries, South Yorkshire Police and Cleveland Police were once again the worst listing 5.8 burglaries per 1,000 people.
In relation to households, South Yorkshire Police had the highest rate at 13.7 closely followed by Cleveland Police with 13.6.
West Midlands Police was next on the list registering 12.2 burglaries per 1,000 people.
Several celebrities have recently been subject to terrifying raids where their expensive mansions are burgled by professionals.
Premier League star Alexander Isak was targeted by a family of burglars who carried out a series of high-value raids.
The Newcastle United and Sweden forward was the third victim of the gang, who had already stolen £1million of jewellery and clothes from a Tyneside businesswoman.
Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo were left shaken after an intruder attempted to burgle their home in the middle of the night.
The Made in Chelsea stars were forced to flee their Notting Hill flat before police rushed in to deal with the situation – with the Radio 1 DJ, 36, forced to hide from the thief naked.
Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan‘s Essex mansion was raided by a gang of balaclava-wearing thugs while they were inside.
The celebrity couple bolted themselves in a bedroom and waited just minutes for cops to arrive after the intruders triggered a state-of-the-art alarm.
Ant and Dec also unwittingly ended up seeing off a burglar in Newcastle thanks to a video doorbell.
Ring doorbell owners were able to change the Quick Reply on their device to a message from the Geordie pair to greet visitors.
One homeowner had opted for the hilarious service, and couldn’t believe her luck when she looked back at footage to discover that the message had foiled a burglar’s attempt to break in.
Elsewhere, non-residential burglaries painted a completely different picture.
West Yorkshire Police and the Metropolitan Police had the highest rates recording 2.0 per 1,000 people.
Across England and Wales, police recorded burglary, which includes both residential and non-residential burglaries, fell by 4 per cent to 260,728 offences.
Burglary levels were also 71 per cent lower than in year ending March 2003 when current recording practices began.
In terms of the total recorded burglaries across both countries, London had by far the most with 55,801.
That was followed by Yorkshire and the Humber with 33,590 and then the North West with 32,986.
Over almost every category, Wales came out as the best performing area with the lowest rates of burglary.
Chief Inspector Jon Hagen, Cleveland Police lead on burglary, said: “Our latest figures show that residential burglaries have dropped by 23 per cent in the 12 months to the end of September 2024.
“We know that burglaries can have a significant impact upon victims, and this reduction means there are many less victims.
“We have taken a preventative approach and we have a stringent process around driving down neighbourhood crime.
“We are committed to reducing burglaries even further, so that fewer people are affected by these devastating crimes.”
It comes as the moment a pair of thieves broke into a Glasgow flat was captured on a home camera.
The duo were seen ransacking the property on the city’s Dumbarton Road in the early hours of the morning.
The thieves went through the property completely unaware their actions were being captured on a Ring doorbell camera.
A family were also forced to watch a burglar raid their loved one’s home.
Prolific thief John Donakey entered the home of an elderly woman after looking through the window and seeing her asleep on a chair.
The woman’s family were alerted to movement from the Ring doorbell and watched the event unfold as they called 999 – but when officers arrived they could not find Donakey.
Footage from live CCTV shows Donakey climbing into the pensioner’s home in Cumbria and searching through drawers a few feet away from her.
Meanwhile an idiotic thief got stuck while lowering himself into a Sainsbury’s shop via the ceiling.
The bungled Mission Impossible-style burglary took place in central Nottingham.
5 Ways to protect your garage from burglaries
It’s easy to neglect your garage or garden room when thinking about home security, with most of your attention on the house itself.
Your garage often contains desirable items for thieves such as lawn mowers, power tools and even cars.
Garage expert Richard Berry at Lidget Compton has put together some tips to help you prevent garage, shed and garden room burglaries.
1. Make it Difficult – Add Additional Locking
“Most break-ins are crimes of opportunity, and thieves will look for an easy target,” says Richard.
“One of the simplest ways to protect your property is to make things awkward for intruders.
“For example, by adding additional point locking to the side door, or by adding a hasp lock and padlock to the main garage door.
“If things appear difficult, thieves are more likely to move onto an easier target.”
2. Add Garage Defenders
“A lot of concrete garages have up and over doors, which lift up into the garage when opened,” says Richard.
“One way of securing these doors is to use an external, floor mounted garage security lock such as the Garage Defender.
“Garage Defenders stop the door from being pulled open, and also act as a great visual deterrent.
“These are available to buy for around £60.”
3. Secure the Emergency Door Release
“Many garages will have an emergency door release so that you’re able to open a garage door manually if needed,” warns Richard.
“Whilst vital, this offers thieves an opportunity if they are able to open the garage door slightly and pull the cord.
“By simply securing the cord with a zip tie away from the door frame, you can improve the security of your garage door.”
4. Add Curtains and Conceal Valuables
“If there’s a window in your garage or shed, consider putting a curtain up or fitting a blind,” suggests Richard.
“Alternatively, apply opaque film to glass on the inside. This will hide the contents and any valuables you may have inside from prying eyes.
“Additionally, glass frost paint or spray can also be used as a cheaper alternative for securing your garage.”
5. Install a Floodlight
“Often, deterrents are the most effective way of limiting theft,” says Richard.
“Motion activated security lights can be an effective deterrent against intruders.
“Using infra-red waves, a sensor detects body temperature and movement triggering the floodlight, putting off thieves hoping to operate in the darkness.
“Motion activated lights are available in most hardware and DIY stores for as little as £10.”
Which celebrities have experienced break ins?
IN recent years, several high-profile celebrities have experienced alarming home burglaries, highlighting the importance of heightened security measures for public figures.
Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan: In a harrowing incident, actress Michelle Keegan, who was heavily pregnant, and her husband, television personality Mark Wright, faced a terrifying ordeal at their £3.5million Essex mansion.
Four masked intruders broke into their home, prompting the couple to lock themselves in a bedroom.
The raiders remained inside for about a minute but fled upon hearing Mark yelling. Although unharmed, the couple was deeply shaken by the experience.
Charlotte Crosby: Reality TV star Charlotte Crosby recently opened up about her own frightening experience with a home burglary while she was heavily pregnant.
She expressed feelings of paranoia following the incident and extended her sympathies to Mark and Michelle, acknowledging the emotional toll such invasions can have.
Anya Taylor-Joy: In February 2023, actress Anya Taylor-Joy and her husband, Malcolm McRae, were forced to hide in a closet when burglars broke into a London mansion where they were staying.
The intruders attempted to enter their bedrooms but fled after leaving the trio unharmed but shaken.
Tamara Ecclestone: In December 2019, heiress Tamara Ecclestone’s Kensington mansion was burglarized, with thieves making off with £25 million worth of jewellery.
This incident was part of a series of high-profile burglaries in West London during that period.
Frank and Christine Lampard: The same gang targeted the West London home of footballer Frank Lampard and his wife, television presenter Christine Lampard, stealing £50,000 worth of property.