Welsh regions rank among the safest for burglaries

• Three Welsh regions rank among the lowest burglary rates across England and Wales

• Wales scores a lower ratio of burglaries than England

• Dyfed-Powys Police reported Wales’ lowest burglary ratio of one break-in for every 267 homes

Welsh regions are some of the safest in England and Wales for burglaries, according to newly released figures. Welsh police reported just one burglary for every 231 properties in the country over 12 months, compared to one burglary for every 129 homes in England.[1]

The research, by Go.Compare home insurance, looked at Home Office crime figures and Census data to name the areas with the highest ratio of households per burglary. Among all police forces in England and Wales, three Welsh regions ranked in the lowest 10 burglary ratios.

Dyfed-Powys Police (covering Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys) claims the country’s lowest burglary rate, with a ratio of one burglary for every 267 homes. Alongside North Yorkshire, this was the joint sixth-lowest in England and Wales.

South and North Wales were also named among the safest places for burglaries, with ratios of just 1:250 and 1:244, respectively. Although Gwent has the highest ratio of burglaries in Wales (1:170), it still places in the best 50% out of all the regions in England and Wales.

Overall, the comparison site found Devon and Cornwall to have the lowest burglary rate out of all the areas in England and Wales with a ratio of 1:395. Norfolk and Suffolk also rank in the top three, with burglary rates of just 1:335 and 1:297 respectively.

The police forces which reported the lowest ratios of residential burglaries are:

1. Devon and Cornwall – 1:395

2. Norfolk – 1:335

3. Suffolk – 1:297

4. Wiltshire – 1:280

5. Cumbria – 1:273

6. Dyfed-Powys (Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Powys) – 1:267

7. North Yorkshire – 1:267

8. South Wales – 1:250

9. North Wales – 1:244

10. Sussex – 1:240

At the other end of the scale, Cleveland in North East England was named the country’s biggest burglary hotspot. Cleveland Police, covering towns like Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, reported over 4,000 residential burglaries in the year ending September 2023. This gives it a ratio of one burglary for every 61 homes – more than any other police force area.

Nathan Blackler, a home insurance expert at Go.Compare, said: “Living somewhere with high crime rates can have a negative impact on the price of your home insurance, as providers believe you’re more likely to claim.

“But, if you live in one of the country’s burglary hotspots, it’s important that you prioritise keeping your home safe. Make sure you maximise your home security and get a policy in place to protect you if the worst happens. Otherwise, you risk being hit with the cruel double-whammy of having to cover any losses from a break-in yourself.

“There are still things you can do to reduce your premiums. Adding improved security features, joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme and paying annually can lower your costs. Regularly comparing policies will also make sure you’re constantly getting the best price for your cover.”

More information on England and Wales’ biggest burglary hotspots can be found at Go.Compare.