Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701
Your industry news - first
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Risk of burglary highest in Northern towns
Manchester, Doncaster, and Hull are ranked the top 3 worst places for burglaries in the UK according to new research, adding to anxiety for Northerners heading into dark winter months.
It makes for grim reading if you live in the North, because 7 out of the top 10 worst places for burglaries are towns located in the North of England, according to a survey of 2,000 respondents by CCTV installer CCTV.co.uk.
Manchester is ranked the worst with 15 burglaries per 1,000 people - with Doncaster and Hull close behind with 13.1 and 12.5 respectively.
"We don't know why the North has it so bad, many of the areas prone to burglaries are densely populated estates and terraces, and Northern towns are full of these types of homes", says CCTV Installer James Ritchey.
The top 7 worst Northern cities are Manchester, Doncaster, Hull, Leeds, Bradford, Rotherham and Sheffield, each having their own share of social and economic issues. The 3 other cities in the top 10 were Southampton, Birmingham, and Northampton.
"Every burglary has an effect on the person who lives in the home, and burglaries tend to be carried out by a small number of people who live locally to the areas they target - perhaps Northern cities are simply more prone to this effect", adds James, who recommends the following easy ways to deter burglars:
Physical barriers - fences, hedges, gates, doors - make sure it is difficult for anyone to get into and onto your property
Locks - ask a locksmith to audit your door and window locks, money spent here is well worthwhile as burglars gain access through openings (obviously!)
Lighting - installing infra-red security lights deters criminals as most prefer the dark to carry out their trade
Alarms - a home alarm is a solid way to protect your home should an intruder be successful in entering your home
CCTV - installing cameras is a great deterrent, together with motion alerts and chimes you can detect, deter and record any night-time activities
Signage - using signs such as "Warning CCTV" can deter would be criminals
"The results paint a worrying picture, but with a few simple steps, especially the physical barriers, protecting yourself from a burglary doesn't have to cost the earth - and gives you total peace of mind going into the winter months", concludes James Ritchey from CCTV.co.uk
Research carried out in September 2020 with 2,000 people responding
21st October 2020