Burglaries plummet in Hertfordshire

Burglaries in Hertfordshire have plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic, according to police crime reports database.

Burglary figures for Hertfordshire saw a 31.8% reduction between 1 April 2020 and 14 January 2021, compared to the same period in 2019-20.

Hertfordshire Police received 349 reports of burglaries in November 2020, compared to 543 in November 2019 – a drop of 36%, according to figures from the police crime reports database.

There were 346 recorded offences in December 2020, down from 489 in December 2019, a drop of 29.2%.

While burglaries represented 6.1% of all reports made to police in the area in November 2019, they represented 4.1% of offences reported during the same month last year.

Reported crime as a whole fell by 5% in Hertfordshire during November.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Treadwell, Crime Reduction and Community Safety said : “Whilst there has been a decrease in burglaries this year compared to last year, due to more people working from home, criminals will still be seeking unoccupied homes and targeting outbuildings and garages.

“Burglary can have a profound effect on victims both financially and emotionally, through loss of property and a feeling of insecurity.

"Making your home secure is the best way to keep your valuables safe. Give your home a lived-in look by using a timer switch to turn on a light, radio or TV when it gets dark then criminals are more likely to avoid your home.

"When the lockdown ends we may see these offences increase back to normal levels, so please make sure your home is secure.”

Across England and Wales, there were 22,200 burglaries in November 2020 – 26% fewer than the same time the previous year.

The figures exclude the number of burglaries for forces in Humberside, Staffordshire and Greater Manchester, due to problems in supplying the data.

Insurance company Aviva warned that although some burglars may have been deterred, research finds that nearly two-thirds of burglaries happen while people are in their homes.

Kelly Whittington, property claims director at Aviva, said: “Overall the number of UK home theft claims we received in November 2020 was lower than November 2019.

"However, lockdown has not put a stop to all criminal activity unfortunately and we would still encourage people to remain vigilant, even when they are at home.

"Most burglaries are opportunistic, so if a door or window is left unlocked, someone can be in and out of a house in just a few seconds.

"And if we’re at home but on another floor or in another room, we may not even be aware of an intruder, until it’s too late.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council is also urging the public to protect themselves online against rising reports of cyber-crime.

Martin Hewitt, NPCC chairman, said: “Crime remains lower than at the same point last year, however the demand on the police service is significant.

"The statistics confirm the correlation of lower crime levels during periods of national lockdown.

“We encourage the public to follow the rules in place to limit the spread of the virus.

"We know that during this pandemic, cyber-crime has increased, and we continue to urge everyone to take measures to protect themselves online as criminals seek to exploit opportunities whilst communities go online during this new national lockdown."

For more advice on home security click here, or join Hertfordshire’s Neighbourhood Watch for alerts and advice: www.owl.co.uk.