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The UK cities most vulnerable to home burglaries

Over 380,000 burglaries are reported every year in England and Wales. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Archive/PA Images
Over 380,000 burglaries are reported every year in England and Wales. Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Archive/PA Images

Homeowners in Cardiff are the most vulnerable to burglaries across Britain, research suggests.

Over 380,000 burglaries are recorded annually in England and Wales alone, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

But Cardiff residents are the most vulnerable, with only 4% of properties in the Welsh capital using smart security, and 11% using CCTV. What's more, nearly a third (29%) of Cardiff owners are only at home at night when most burglaries happen in the daytime, a survey of 2,000 Brits by stafe.co.uk found.

The home security retailer looked at properties across 15 locations and analysed criteria such as the level of CCTV kit, type of window locks installed, and the time the owners occupy their home each day.

The UK cities with the most vulnerable properties

  1. Cardiff

  2. Edinburgh

  3. Manchester

  4. Norwich

  5. Nottingham

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Manchester also featured in the bottom three cities, despite its M20 – Didsbury and Withington – and M21 – Chorlton-cum-Hardy and Firswood –postcodes being among the most-burgled areas in the country.

Glaswegians can breathe a sigh of relief, as their homes are the most secure in the UK, with over a fifth or 22% of homeowners owning over seven internal and external security cameras. Meanwhile, a quarter live in more secure mid-terrace properties and 27% fit their front door with a multi-point locking system.

The study found that across the UK, millions of homeowners have “inadequate” levels of security to beat burglars, with a staggering 68% not even having a standard burglar alarm.

Only one in five have invested in CCTV, and a mere 13% have installed smart security devices and cameras, the study found.

The most “paw patrols” happen in Bristol, with two in five homeowners owning a guard dog to deter criminals, compared to just 16% in Norwich.

READ MORE: Burglary warning as one in four leave doors unlocked while at home

The UK cities with the most protected properties

  1. Glasgow

  2. Newcastle

  3. Liverpool

  4. London

  5. Leeds

Homeowners living in the lowest-value properties invest the most in home security, with 51% of those living in a home costing under £50,000 ($65,000) owning a burglar alarm, while a third (34%) invest in state-of-the-art CCTV security – 14% above the national average.

In contrast, those living in properties valued between £450,000 and £500,000 have the most ineffective security measures and ranked bottom, the study found.

Managing director for safe.co.uk, Anthony Neary, said: “It’s clear from our study that millions of homes across the UK are not adequately protected from burglary. Although investing in the latest security devices can deter criminals, there are also plenty of common sense measures that can be adopted to make a property less vulnerable.”

“We often find that those people who get into the mindset of a burglar or take the time to review weak spots in their home find the right levels of protection. I hope our findings act as a wake-up call for homeowners in cities such as Cardiff and Manchester,” Neary added.

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