The study revealed that 34% of Londoners are the most diligent at checking local burglary rates, with homeowners in Newcastle (15%) the least concerned:
Top 3
1. London – 34%
2. Manchester – 32%
3. Southampton – 30%
Bottom 3
13. Sheffield – 17%
14. Belfast – 16%
15. Newcastle – 15%
With 74% of homeowners admitting they don’t familiarise themselves with burglary rates before moving to a new area, the following list shows the top 10 UK cities according to how safe Brits’ perceive them to be in terms of having the lowest burglary rates:
1. Brighton – 22%
2. Edinburgh – 14%
3. London – 8%
4. Bristol – 7%
5. Stoke-on-Trent – 6%
6. Cardiff – 6%
7. Belfast – 5%
8. Coventry – 4%
9. Nottingham – 4%
10. Leicester – 3%
The research reveals homeowners in Leeds and Glasgow are the most likely to have experienced a burglary in the past 5 years (both 32%), closely followed by Edinburgh and Birmingham (both 30%), despite Edinburgh coming in second in the above list.
The study also explores Brits’ attitudes towards burglary, revealing that 60% want more police patrolling neighbourhoods to prevent burglaries with a further 64% demanding harsher punishments.
Half of Brits believe blame sits partly with homeowners themselves, admitting we’re not-so-savvy when it comes to our home security habits and ought to have more preventative measures installed on our homes.
Of those who have been a victim of the crime, nearly 20% are frustrated they hadn’t invested more in home security. 15% ended up moving to a new house after being burgled, with a further 10% planning to move. 41% of homeowners are aggrieved the culprit wasn’t ever caught.
Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk, commented: “It is worrying that nearly three quarters of homeowners don’t check burglary rates before moving to a new area. It’s also surprising considering a quarter of burglary victims either move house or plan to move afterwards. Burglary rates are relatively easy to research and it could make all the difference when it comes to your own peace of mind.
Installing home security significantly reduces your risk of becoming a victim of crime and as the nights get longer and darker, homeowners need to be prepared.”
