16:53 24 January 2014
In a report that will surely rack up some home insurance costs, a list of the top 20 postcodes identified as burglary hotspots has been released.
Of these, over half are in London. Despite this, it was the north of England that had the worst offender with Manchester’s Chorlton-cum-Hardy in at no 1.
Manchester’s M21 had the nation’s highest insurance claims for burglary over the last ear with 45.2 per thousand people claiming their homes had been targeted by thieves.
Over three million home insurance quotes formed the framework of the study.
Households in high risk areas pay nearly a quarter more in insurance each year compared with those in low risk areas.
Jim Maddan, chairman of the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network, said: "The majority of burglaries are opportunistic and criminals will often simply choose the easiest-looking target.
"Something as simple as being on speaking terms with your neighbours and passing the time of day could mean that they notice when something is wrong - or it might
be you who notices something is amiss and saves your neighbour from misfortune.
"Crime does not flourish in communities where people care about each other."
The 20 worst postcodes for gettled burgled, ranked by the number of claims made per thousand people:
1. M21 - Chorlton-cum-Hardy; Barlow Moor, Manchester, 45.2
2. SE24 - Herne Hill; Tulse Hill (part), London, 41.8
3. N10 - Muswell Hill, London, 40.9
4. RM8 - Dagenham; Becontree; Becontree Heath, London, 35.9
5. N2 - East Finchley; Fortis Green; Hampstead Garden Suburb (part), London, 34.5
6. L18 - Allerton; Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 33.3
7. L22 - Waterloo, Liverpool, 32.6
8. N18 - Upper Edmonton; Edmonton (part), London, 32.3
9. UB6 - Greenford; Perivale, London, 30.9
10. SE27 - West Norwood; Gipsy Hill (part), London, 30.5
11. B73 - Boldmere; New Oscott; Wylde Green, Birmingham, 29.5
12. E8 - Hackney Central; Dalston; London Fields, London, 29.4
13. DN2 - Intake; Wheatley; Wheatley Hills, Doncaster, 28.7
14. N20 - Whetstone; Totteridge; Oakleigh Park, London, 28.0
15. E9 - Homerton; Hackney Wick; South Hackney; Hackney Marshes; Victoria Park, London, 27.8
16. N11 - New Southgate; Friern Barnet; Bounds Green; Arnos Grove (part), London, 27.7
17. N16 - Stoke Newington; Stamford Hill (part); Shacklewell; Dalston (part); Newington Green (part), London, 27.7
18. LS16 - Adel, Bramhope; Cookridge; Eccup; Far Headingley; Holt Park; Ireland Wood; Lawnswood; Moor Grange; Tinshill; Weetwood; West Park, Leeds, 27.6
19. B24 - Erdington; Tyburn, Birmingham, 27.6
20. HP10 - High Wycombe; Flackwell Heath; Handy Cross; Hedsor; Loudwater; Penn; Tylers Green; Wooburn; Wooburn Green; Wooburn Moor, Buckinghamshire, 27.3