Top 20 burglary hotspots revealed

Moneysupermarket.com has recently compiled a Top 20 list of postcodes whose residents are most likely to have to make a claim on their home contents insurance policy for burglary.

There is a spread between north and south, inner city and suburbia, but those living in London will be concerned to see that the capital takes 10 of the 20 postcodes on the list.

Top of the list, though, is a postcode in Manchester (M21), covering the area of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, which lies four miles south-west of the city centre.

The worst areas in London are Blackheath (SE3), Hammersmith (W6) and Finsbury Park (N4) although this statistic takes no account of those who either do not have contents insurance or those who do not make a claim.

The cities of Leeds and Bristol also figured in the Top 20, both with two postcodes apiece.

Julie Owens of moneysupermarket.com has used the publication of the list as an opportunity to remind people of the importance of contents cover, saying that no-one is immune and that having one’s home burgled is an “emotional and frightening experience”. Opportunistic thieves can strike at any time so it is vital that not only do you ensure that you have cover but also that it is sufficient to compensate you for items stolen.

There are of course steps that everyone can take to make their property less attractive to the criminal element, such as installing security lighting and a burglar alarm, keeping valuables hidden from view, and making sure that keys are not left in places such as under the doormat or so close to the letterbox that anyone could hook them and use them to open the door.

To see the full Top 20 list, click here.