Burglaries in the UK are declining according to real and projected figures published by the insurance company Alan Boswell Group.
Of the ten areas with the highest burglary offence rate, six are situated in London, while the other four are all in the north of England, according to the Alan Boswell Group.
Kensington and Chelsea is South West London has the highest rate of burglaries, with Haringey in North West London, the second most burgled London area.
UK burglaries decreased 8% between 2023-24 and 2024-25, and they are also projected to continually decline in the years 2026-27.
Despite the changes in more people working from home, daytime burglaries have remained steady and night-time burglaries, between midnight and 6am are still the most common.
Kensington resident, Pippa Smith, aged 49, was burgled late at night over the Christmas period.
She said: “I was genuinely shocked. It is a very civilised area where I have lived for 20 years. I didn’t realise the rates were so high until it happened to me.”
She had several electronic goods stolen and reported it to the police.
It is not inherently clear why burglaries are decreasing, but often people point to higher use of home security.
However, the Alan Boswell Group also report that just a third of households have a burglar alarm.
A company spokesperson said: “The vast majority of burglars look for easy access points, homes that look empty or easy to enter unseen, and are motivated by what they might find in your home.
Kensington Council have responded to the high rates of burglaries by highlighting that they are the only borough council to have a dedicated council crime prevention officer in order to reduce these crimes.
A Spokesperson for the council said: “We maintain a strong partnership with the police, working together through monthly strategic meetings and weekly operational tasking to identify trends, share intelligence and coordinate action.”
“We also proactively engage with residents on crime prevention, including burglary, through weekly drop-in sessions and other outreach activity, providing advice, reassurance and practical support to help people keep their homes and neighbourhoods safe.”
Featured image credit: Unsplash
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