One home burgled every three minutes: Here’s how to protect your property from intruders

Britons have been urged to take steps to protect their homes against burglars, as new data shows a home is broken into every 177 seconds or 3 minutes, in England and Wales.

With the latest figures revealing that 177,687 properties were burgled last year*, the home insurance comparison experts at Quotezone.co.uk have put together five tips to help householders deter intruders.

London had the most home burglaries in the year up to September 2024, with 35,925 reported to police. That is 98 homes burgled every day on average.

The region with the highest burglary rate outside London was Yorkshire, with 24,136 burglaries reported to police – an average of 66 each day.

Trends show that 70% of domestic break-ins are through the door of the property and 30% are through a window.**

Therefore, it is important to secure your property as best as possible, especially for those who live in areas with a high crime rate, such as in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. Home and contents insurance can also vary depending on the area and could cost more in locations that experience a high volume of crime.

But that doesn’t mean those who live in safer areas, like in Cumbria or Wiltshire, won’t experience break-ins – and everyone should equip their home with burglary deterrents.

Greg Wilson, CEO and home insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk said: “It is encouraging to see that in most regions, the number of home burglaries has decreased over the last year, particularly in the North West and East Midlands. However, there are still nearly 200,000 burglaries each year, it is important that householders remain vigilant and take action to protect their homes.

“The majority of burglaries are opportunistic – so installing even simple security measures such as padlocks, window locks and motion sensor lights can prove very effective when it comes deterring would-be thieves.

“As an added benefit, taking steps to make your property more secure, such as installing a burglar alarm or CCTV, could lead to savings on your home and contents insurance. Some insurers will reduce costs or offer discounts if certain security measures are in place, so it is worth checking with the provider.”

Quotezone.co.uk’s tips on protecting your home from burglars:

1. Install basic security

Even putting in simple security measures can help prevent a break-in, as it will take more time for the burglar to gain access to the home. For example, use padlocks, bolts and window locks to tighten up home security; these measures are relatively inexpensive and will help reduce chances of a break-in.

2. Burglar alarm

Investing in a burglar alarm is one of the most effective ways to prevent a break-in. Burglars are significantly less likely to target a home which has installed an alarm, and some insurance providers will offer a discount on premiums if the house has one.  Just be careful to update your policy correctly, some insurance providers will ask if the alarm is also monitored – inaccurate details could void your policy or hinder your claim.

3. Be vigilant

The majority of break-ins happen during the day, so keep an eye for suspicious behaviour in your neighbourhood and even on the street outside your property – thieves have been known to make symbols in chalk to help them remember key vulnerabilities of the property.  Don’t be afraid to ask callers to the house for their ID – genuine callers won’t mind and it may just put off potential thieves.

4. Double lock all doors

All exterior doors should be double locked every time the house is left unoccupied, even if it is just for a couple of minutes. uPVC doors and most new doors have a multi-locking system which works when the handle is pulled up and then locked – if they’re BSI (British Standards Institution) approved, it could reduce the cost of your home insurance.

5. Keep valuables out of sight

This may seem like an obvious security measure, but making sure anything that is of value, or looks like it could be expensive, is kept fully out of sight from any passers-by is important. Even garden tools and equipment should be locked in the shed or garage, as most burglars don’t carry break-in equipment with them – they are on the look-out for items to help them.  Some homeowners also choose to install frosted glass or net curtains around the front door to make it harder for thieves to spot opportunities.

Quotezone.co.uk helps millions of customers every year compare and find savings on everyday bills and essentials, such as home insurance.