Cornavirus cut crime in the home across Lancashire, according to study

The number of burglaries across Lancashire plummeted during the coronavirus lockdown as crooks were put off by people working at home.
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Nationally, residential property theft dropped by almost 100,000 reported incidents in the past 12 months according to UK CrimeStats, using data gathered by the Economic Policy Centre.

The figures show that from July 2018 to June 2019 there were more than 414,400 reported incidents, but from July 2019 to June 2020 this dropped to 320,120 burglaries – a 22.75 per cent fall.

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During the depths of the lockdown - from April to June - the monthly average for burglaries was below 20,000. In comparison, the monthly average for January to March was 28,580.

Burglars appear to have been put off by people at home during the coronavirus lockdownBurglars appear to have been put off by people at home during the coronavirus lockdown
Burglars appear to have been put off by people at home during the coronavirus lockdown

The monthly average number of burglaries between July 2019 and June 2020 came in at 26,680, down from an average of 34,530 break-ins per month during the preceding 12 months.

In Lancashire, there were 668 burglaries reported in June and 10,585 from July 19 to June 20, according to the study.

The county had the sixth highest crime rate out of 43 police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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In Preston. there were 58 burglaries in June, 71 in May, 59 in April, 75 in February and 119 in January before the coronavirus scare began.

In Blackpool North and Cleveleys, the study said there were 37 burglaries in June, 38 in May, 29 in April, 36 in March, 49 in February and 46 in January.

Blackpool South had 57 in June, 58 in May, 31 in April, 68 in March, 57 in February and 73 in January.

Greg Wilson, founder of comparison site Quotezone.co.uk said: “It won’t come as a surprise to learn that 2020 has seen a significant fall in the number of burglaries, with the lockdown and work-from-home orders serving as a significant deterrent that has helped to reduce the total number of break-ins by almost 10,000 year-on-year.

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“However, the fact that almost 20,000 burglaries still occurred each month during lockdown, even when the government’s most stringent quarantine measures were in place, highlights that break-ins remain a very real risk for homeowners and tenants alike.

“Some policyholders might be a little more inclined to forgo home insurance now that they’re home most of the time, but this data makes it clear that the risks a good home insurance policy will protect you against haven’t gone away.”