Britain's most burgled cities and towns

Homeowners urged to lock up their valuables and beware of burglars during the ‘most burgled’ time of the year

Jewellery, cash and laptops are the most desirable items for burglars

November 2012 saw an average 10 per cent increase in burglary frequency last year, with the first week in December seeing a rise of 25 per cent, according to analysis from over 50s insurance provider RIAS.

Its figures indicated that Bradford, London, Manchester and Leeds are Britain’s most burgled cities and put the average claim cost of a burglary at £2,433, increasing to £2,474 in November.

Five bedroom houses are three times more likely to be robbed than one bedroom properties, with claims 127 per cent more on average. Jewellery, cash and laptops are the most desirable items for burglars who most commonly break in through back doors and windows.

"As the nights get darker over winter homeowners need to pay attention to their security practices," said Peter Corfield, Managing Director at RIAS. "Our analysis is particularly worrying for the UK’s over 50s, some of whom are living in larger family homes and may have worked hard for many years to build up irreplaceable personal possessions. And it’s not just loss of items that matter, burglaries are often extremely unpleasant and distressing."

The top 10 cties/towns for burglary frequency

1. Bradford

2. London

3. Manchester

4. Leeds

5. Oldham

6. Milton Keynes

7. Coventry

8. Huddersfield

9. Sheffield

10. Redhill

Source: RIAS