Leafy south London suburb Dulwich is 'UK's worst for burglary'

Dulwich was number one in the country
Mark Chandler22 January 2016
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London is the country’s burglary capital according to a new survey, with leafy Dulwich the number one spot for thefts.

Analysis by website MoneySuperMarket showed, of the 20 UK postcodes with the highest rate of insurance claims for home burglaries, 16 were in London.

It said the SE21 post code, which includes Tulse Hill and Dulwich, was number one in the country with a rate of 61.2 claims per 1,000 quotes.

Homeowners in that area are 87 times more likely to be broken into than people living in the country’s safest place, Harbury near Leamington Spa, the research showed.

Clayhall, Redbridge and Gants Hill in east London were close behind Dulwich with affluent North Kensington also seeing a high rate of 44.9 claims per 1,000 quotes.

North London suburbs Whetstone, Cockfosters and New Southgate featured well up on the list along with Herne Hill in the south of the capital with a 44.4 rate.

Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Burglars have two thoughts uppermost in their minds: where am I most likely to find something worth stealing and where am I least likely to get caught?

“Our findings suggest thieves favour busy urban areas where strangers are unlikely to be spotted and it’s easy to make a quick getaway. But leafy suburbs are also heavily targeted, with burglars following the money to affluent areas.

“The best way to avoid the emotional turmoil and financial distress associated with a burglary is to be vigilant, make a concerted effort to secure your home and put in place the safety net of appropriate contents insurance in case the worst should happen.”

The website has now launched an interactive burglary claims calculator to show the rate for every UK postcode.

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