THE number of burglaries in Northumberland has fallen in the past five years, new figures show.

A study by Confused.com has looked into burglary rates across the UK from 2017-2021 using police data to reveal the safest and least safe UK regions to live in.

The data shows that Northumberland saw 2.05 burglaries reported per 1,000 people in 2021.

The rate has decreased every year in the past five years. In 2017, there were 3.62 burglaries reported per 1,000 people.

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Middlesbrough has been named as the UK area with the highest number of burglaries, with 7.86 burglaries reported per 1,000 people in 2021.

The other areas with the highest burglary rates are Manchester, Doncaster, Hackney, and Kensington and Chelsea.

The South West is the safest area to live in England, the data shows, with four of the top 10 areas with the lowest burglary rates being in this region.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “It is great to see the hard work of our dedicated burglary teams see these crimes fall in our area.

“However, we want to reassure the public that we won’t become complacent. Our officers will continue to target repeat offenders and protect communities.

“Most burglaries are opportunist - criminals watch out for houses they think are unprotected in some way.

“Don’t make it easy for thieves to target your home – visit our website to find out how to protect yourself and loved ones.”

Jessica Willock, home insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Although burglary rates seem to be dropping year on year, it’s still as important to make sure your home is safe.  Security cameras and burglary alarms aren’t only a great deterrent from potential thieves but having them could reduce your home insurance prices.

“Our guide to protecting your home from burglars outlines some of the most effective ways of keeping your house safe. This includes some simple changes, such as investing in smart home security. Nowadays, technology has advanced to give us cheap, easy-to-install smart home devices such as doorbells and automated lights. These let you know who’s outside without you needing to go near the door.”