Burglaries fall by almost a quarter in 12 months

Residential property theft dropped by almost 100,000 reported incidents in the past 12 months according to UK CrimeStats, using data gathered by the Economic Policy Centre.

The figures show that from July 2018 to June 2019 there were more than 414,400 reported incidents, but from July 2019 to June 2020 this dropped to 320,120 burglaries – a 22.75% fall.

During the depths of the lockdown - from April to June - the monthly average for burglaries was below 20,000. In comparison, the monthly average for January to March was 28,580.

The monthly average number of burglaries between July 2019 and June 2020 came in at 26,680, down from an average of 34,530 break-ins per month during the preceding 12 months.

The lowest rates of burglary were recorded in the City of London, Devon and Cornwall, and Northern Ireland. Greater London, South Yorkshire and Cleveland were worst hit.

The research presented by UK CrimeStats – a leading crime data research and analysis platform – covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland and gathers data based on reported crimes only.

Responding to the new data, Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk says: “It won’t come as a surprise to learn that 2020 has seen a significant fall in the number of burglaries, with the lockdown and work-from-home orders serving as a significant deterrent that has helped to reduce the total number of break-ins by almost 100,000 year-on-year. 

“However, the fact that almost 20,000 burglaries still occurred each month during lockdown, even when the government’s most stringent quarantine measures were in place, highlights that break-ins remain a very real risk for homeowners and tenants alike.

“Some policyholders might be a little more inclined to forgo home insurance now that they’re home most of the time, but this data makes it clear that the risks a good home insurance policy will protect you against haven’t gone away.”

The Quotezone.co.uk comparison site allows users check a wide range of providers to help you get a competitive price on a suitable policy