Lockdown sparks fall in burglary reports

The number of burglaries in the North East fell during the second lockdown.

Figures from the national police crime database show Northumbria Police received 597 reports of burglaries in November – compared to 649 in November 2019 – a drop of eight per cent.

The figures also show that crime as a whole increased by 11% in the force area during the month – with burglaries representing 3.5% of reports, compared to 4.2% of all offences in November 2019.

Durham Constabulary received 291 reports of burglaries in November, compared to 365 in November 2019 – down 20%.

Burglaries represented 4.9% of crime reports – down from 5.4% a year earlier, and total crime fell by 11%.

Nationally, there were 22,200 burglaries in November – down 26% on the previous year.

Insurance company Aviva warned that nearly twothirds of raids happen while people are in their homes.

Kelly Whittington, property claims director at Aviva, said: “The number of home theft claims in November was lower but lockdown has not put a stop to all criminal activity.

"Most burglaries are opportunistic.

"If a door or window is left unlocked, someone can be in and out of a house in just a seconds and people on another floor or in another room, may not even be aware of an intruder.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman, Martin Hewitt, said: “Crime remains lower than at the same point last year but, during this pandemic, cyber-crime has increased.”