The UK’s Most Burgled Cities and Towns 2026
Burglaries typically increase during the colder, darker months. By the end of 2024, an estimated 2.9 million theft incidents occurred, a 13% rise from 2023 (2.6 million) but still 11% lower than pre-pandemic 2020 levels (3.3 million).
In this blog, we take you through the statistics of the most burgled cities and towns in the UK and what you can do to reduce your risk.
What are the Most Burgled Cities and Towns in the UK?
- Westminster(14.9 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Camden(10.5 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Kensington and Chelsea (10.1 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Hackney (9.5 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Middlesbrough (9 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Doncaster(9 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Redcar and Cleveland (8.5 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Islington(8.4 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Kingston upon Hull (8.1 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
- Sheffield(8 burglaries per 1,000 residents)
(ONS – Recorded crime data by Community Safety Partnership area (March 2024))
Burglary Statistics by Area
Based on what area you live in, the odds of experiencing house burglary highly differs. In fact, on average England there are 6.6 burglaries for every 1,000 houses as of June 2025 which ranks it higher than Wales with 4.3 burglaries in every 1,000 houses as of June 2025. The following shows 2025 burglary rates of areas in England and Wales.
- North-East – (8 per 1,000 households)
- North-West – (6.1 per 1,000 households)
- Yorkshire and The Humber – (9.8 per 1,000 households)
- East Midlands – (5.7 per 1,000 households)
- West Midlands – (7.2 per 1,000 households)
- East – (4.6 burglaries per 1,000 households)
- South-East – (4.7 per 1,000 households)
- South-West – (4.6 burglaries per 1,000 households)
- London – (9.8 burglaries per 1,000 households)
The Yorkshire and The Humber and London are the hardest hit with 9.8 burglaries in every 1,000 households. For a more distinct area, the Yorkshire and The Humber is in includes Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
In England, the East and South-West regions have the lowest crime rates, with 4.6 crimes per 1,000 households. The counties with the lowest burglary rates are Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in the East, and Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, and Wiltshire in the South-West.
Data collected form ONS – Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables (June 2025)
Interesting UK Burglary Facts
- Most occur during the week (69%), with 33% occurring at night and just under 60% occurring when it is dark.
- 70% gained entry though the front of the property. Typically, entry was gained through a door, forced the lock or the door was not locked.
- The most typical items stolen were money, wallets, purses, credit cards, watches or jewellery. 39% of the items stolen had a value of £1,000 or more.
- Over Half of offenders acted alone, 81% were male and 51% were 25 to 39 years old.
- A typical burglary will take about 10 minutes.
Data from ONS – Nature of crime: burglary ((March 2024) ‘incidents of all domestic burglary in a dwelling occurred’(Apr 2023 to Mar 2024))
What Can You Do to Avoid Burglary?
There are lots of things that you can do to help make yourself less of a target to burglars, these can include:
1. Make it tough to break into your home by making it appear occupied.
There are many ways to make your home appear occupied. Timed lighting, a car in the driveway, paused deliveries, and cleared newspapers all help deter burglars.
2. Before you leave home or go to bed, make sure all outside doors and windows are locked.
Again, even though you should be locking your door and window every day, it’s important to always keep in mind that you can easily forget in a moment of haste. Make sure you always lock your outside doors and windows before nighttime or when leaving the house.
3. Keep your garage door shut and always locked.
Garage security depends on the garage door and therefore locking it at all times is important. A garage door monitor can serve as a helpful reminder. Simply attach the sensor to the door and place the monitor in a visible location to act as a viable deterrent.
4. Avoid any daily mail, newspaper, or flyer deliveries to accumulate while you are away.
Post is delivered daily in the UK, and burglars often use it as an indicator of whether a house is occupied. If you plan to leave your property unoccupied for an extended period, you could arrange for your mail to be held at the Post Office or for a friend or neighbour to pick it up on a regular basis.
5. Install a security camera
It is one of the most effective deterrents for burglars, as it makes it nearly impossible to break in without being seen. Experts believe that if people had CCTV monitoring, up to 67% of household burglaries could be avoided.
6. Install motion lighting
Outdoor security motion lights are a great crime deterrent as they remove the veil of darkness that burglars and other home intruders prefer to hide in.
7. Install a burglar alarm
A burglar alarm can rapidly alert the police and others in the area, increasing the chances of the burglar being caught, and can even act as a deterrent in the first place!
8. Additional lock security
There are many ways to add extra security to your door lock. You can consider a deadbolt strike plate, a heavy and high-quality deadbolt, or higher security lock models.
9. Upgrade to a smart doorbell
Unexpected visitors are likely to knock on your door, but smart doorbells allow you to see who is at the door before even opening it, and with the integrated video camera, it acts as a great deterrent against burglary.
10. Add door security accessories
From door viewers to door chains, door bars, and door plates, installing door accessories provides you with high security and privacy, and certainly reduces the chances of getting burgled.
Consider Joining the Neighbourhood Watch
As part of our security advice, we also recommend that you either join or start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
Neighbourhood Watch works to bring neighbours together who want to look out for each other, creating strong, friendly, active communities where crime and antisocial behaviour are less likely to happen.
Call your Local Keytek® Locksmith!
At Keytek® Locksmiths, we are committed to assisting you in keeping your house secure, which is why we are always upgrading the security content on our website. If you were interested in this blog we recommend that you take a look at our Home Security Guide where we break down home security into sections like your front door, garden gate, outdoor lights and more.
Kim Freeman
Kim is Keytek’s longest-serving security blogger, with nearly a decade of hands-on experience in the security industry. Over the past 9 years, she has built trusted relationships with locksmiths and security professionals across the UK, giving her exclusive insight into the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in home security.
From traditional burglary prevention methods to cutting-edge smart home solutions, Kim covers it all. As part of her role, she regularly reviews the newest home security gadgets on the market—including smart doorbells, security cameras, and more—bringing readers honest, practical advice on how to protect their homes.
Kim’s passion for security was sparked during her time at the University of Chester, where she learned first-hand how vulnerable student housing can be to break-ins. That early experience inspired a lifelong interest in home protection, eventually leading her to join the team at Keytek.
Today, Kim combines her deep industry knowledge with a love for writing to deliver helpful, accessible content for homeowners across the UK. You can read all of her expert advice and top security tips at Keytek.co.uk, where she shares everything from seasonal safety guides to reviews of the best security products on the market.
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According to ONS data (March 2024), the top 10 most burgled areas are Westminster, Camden, Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Middlesbrough, Doncaster, Redcar and Cleveland, Islington, Kingston upon Hull, and Sheffield.
As of June 2025, England averages 6.6 burglaries per 1,000 households and Wales 4.3. The highest rates are in Yorkshire and The Humber and London (9.8 per 1,000), while the lowest are in the East and South-West (4.6 per 1,000).
Most burglaries occur during the week (69%), with around 33% happening at night and 60% taking place when it’s dark outside.
67% of burglars gain entry through the front of the property, often by forcing a door or exploiting an unlocked one.
Over half of burglary offenders act alone, with 81% being male and 51% aged between 25 and 39 years old.
Preventive steps include locking all doors and windows, installing security cameras, alarms, motion lights, smart doorbells, and high-security locks, as well as joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.