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Do you live in a burglary hotspot?

It will have come as a surprise to many that Guildford was recently named as one of the UK’s top burglary claims hotspots.

This alarming revelation comes from MoneySuperMarket, who conduct annual research that analyses more than two million home insurance quotes over the last two years.

The Guildford postal district of GU3 (which also covers Compton, Normandy, Woking, Pirbright, Worplesdon, Puttenham, Fairlands, Wood Street Village, Wanborough, Artington, Artington) didn’t make an appearance anywhere in the top 20 last year.

Therefore, it comes as quite a shock to find it has suddenly hit the top spot with a rate of 51.43 claims per 1,000 quotes. 

burglary hot spots guildfordLatest crime statistics in your region

In April, Surrey Police published the county’s end-of-year crime statistics for 2017-2018. These figures revealed that in June 2017, burglaries in Surrey started to increase for the first time in ten years having been reducing up until this point. The past year has shown an 8.4% increase (+499 with 6,472) compared with the previous year.

The Thames Valley Police issued crime statistics that show that there were 138,710 crimes reported across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire from 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2017.

This is a 7.2% rise on the previous year when there were 129,449 reported crimes in the same timeframe. Burglary in this region increased by 9.1%.

Meanwhile, in Hampshire, new data from the Office of National Statistics shows an increase in crime of 17% across the country in 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Shockingly, the new statistics reveal that burglars raided 40 more homes a week across Hampshire than they did the previous year.

How to check your postcode crime rating

While we like to think we live in a relatively safe part of the country, these facts and figures make it clear that burglaries can occur wherever you live.

To help you check if you live in a burglary hotspot, try entering your postcode in this tool provided by MoneySuperMarket, to see how your address compares to the rest of the UK:

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/home-insurance/burglary-hotspots

Take sensible preventative measures

The good news is there is preventative action you can take to keep your property secure.

The first step is to ensure you have good quality locks on all of your windows and doors. The next step is to make sure you use them. Don’t forget to lock up before you leave the house.

It also makes sense to install a visible burglar alarm and fit outside lights. And as well as locking up your house, you should make sure side gates, garages, sheds and any outbuildings are secure.

By taking a few simple preventative measures, you can ensure that you don’t become a crime statistic.

Would you like expert advice on how to secure your property?

If you’d like to find out how the latest home security products can improve the security of your home, contact Stuart at Rocks Locks. Stuart will conduct a FREE home security survey and provide advice on the best security solutions to meet your needs and budget.

Call Stuart on 07900 335525 or visit www.rocks-locks.co.uk