London’s Most Burgled Towns
With crime statistics so readily available, it’s often quite easy to discover how your area ranks compared to the national average for things like vandalism, street crime and burglary.
While the figures may not always reflect your own personal experience, increased crime can have a negative impact on a number of factors, including property prices and the safety of your home and belongings.
Dagenham and Redbridge postcode of RM8 has come out on top as the the UK’s most burgled area.
Despite Manchester leading the way in terms of burglary numbers for many years, a recent survey by MoneySuperMarket has shown that London has since taken this unfortunate title. More specifically, the Dagenham and Redbridge postcode of RM8 has come out on top as the the UK’s most burgled area.
Burglary Survey
With the survey’s statistics based on the number of burglary claims for every 1,000 insurance quotes across 2014, the prevalence of London boroughs that appear in the top 20 has emphasised the need for tighter home and business security measures to be taken in the capital. RM8 shows 55 claims in the 12 month period – 3 more than last year’s worst area, Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester, which slips to third.
In fact, 14 of the top 20 locations mentioned can be found inside the boundaries of the M25, with Gants Hill, Woodford, Hornchurch, Teddington and Hadley Wood among those joining Dagenham on the list.
The top 5 most burgled towns in London
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While this may not be the most accurate way to measure statistics of this nature, the findings certainly highlight the issues connected to break-ins in the London area, with the same report stating that an overall average of £5,117 worth of goods were taken from each property targeted in Dagenham last year.
Home Security
MoneySuperMarket’s findings stress the ever-present need for home security, particularly in areas that are regularly targeted by burglars. Those living in the RM8 postcode that tops the list are over 50 times more likely to suffer a break-in than those in other areas surveyed – particularly in parts of Scotland and Wales.
Residential intruder alarm systems are the answer, whether wireless house alarms, security cameras, access systems or a combination of them all. Alarms present both a visual deterrent to put off opportunistic thieves looking for an easy target, and an audible warning to those who may be in the process of breaking into a property, alerting others to their activities.
House theft is among the most common insurance claims related to property ownership, costing insurers £8.1m per day nationwide*. Alarms and other security systems are a great way to keep home insurance premiums down for property owners, particularly in areas such as those listed above that may see increased rates due to crime statistics.
AAI Security Systems are London’s leading providers of burglar alarms and security solutions. Whether for domestic or commercial use, our qualified team are on hand to tailor and NSI-approved security alarm to meet the needs of any premises, keeping you and your property safe from the threat of intruders. For more information, get in touch today.
* Figures from the Association of British Insurers