Highland has UK mainland's second-lowest rate of burglaries
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Highland has the second-lowest burglary rate on the UK mainland, according to new research by a home insurance company.
The region had 0.47 burglaries per 1000 people during 2021, with only East Dunbartonshire having a lower incidence at 0.44.
The five safest mainland regions in the UK were all in Scotland, with Aberdeenshire (0.50), Stirling (0.56) and Argyll and Bute (0.58) third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The rate of burglaries in Highland is said to have dropped by 5.33 per cent each year, on average, since 2017.
The study was carried out by Confused.com by analysing police data from across the UK covering the period 2017-2021.
It found that Middlesbrough was the UK region with the highest number of burglaries, with 7.86 per 1000 people last year.
Manchester (7.11) and Doncaster (6.96) came next.
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.”
The lowest burglary rates across the UK as a whole are found in the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney.
