Burglaries in Cumbria increased by 25 per cent

The study, conducted by home security experts at ADT, looked at crime data from the past two years to determine the areas with the highest increase of burglaries as well as the areas with the largest number of burglaries in the UK.

According to the data, Cumbria had the fourth highest increase of burglary offences between 2021 and 2022, rising from 1,337 to 1,675.

Cumbria Police attributes the spike in reported burglaries over a two-year period to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A spokesman said: “A significant factor in why burglaries were so noticeably down in 2021 is coronavirus. The most stringent lockdowns were put in place in 2021 which stopped non-essential contact and travel for periods of the year.

“In Cumbria we are often targeted by criminals who travel here from elsewhere in the country. This type of cross-border criminality was significantly disrupted by the lockdown measures imposed by the Government.

“This is supported when one looks at the burglary statistics for 2020, which are very similar to 2022. So what we have seen in 2022 appears to be a return to the pre-Coronavirus levels as opposed to a rise (in fact a slight reduction on 2020).

“Having said that, every burglary is traumatic for the victim who has had their home entered and we have always taken this type of offence extremely seriously. We are pleased with the great work done to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

“We are not complacent and we are doing all we can to make sure that people feel safe in their homes.

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“We ensure every residential burglary where a person’s home is entered is attended by a police officer and is allocated to detectives in our CID teams, so they get these officers’ specialist expertise from the outset.”

The force has offered advice to home-owners to prevent themselves becoming a victim of burglary.

A spokesman said: “Burglaries at homes across Cumbria are often spontaneous crimes carried out by opportunist thieves trying door handles or reaching in through open windows.

“We also encourage everyone to look at their own home to ensure it is not viewed as an ‘easy target’ by opportunistic thieves.

“Simple steps such as locking doors, not leaving out-of-sight windows open and not leaving valuable possessions in view of potential thieves can be effective in preventing incidents.

“At this time of year, many of us will go on holiday. It is important to be vigilant at this time and to be careful with any social media posts you publish, as you may inadvertently advertise your home to potential criminals.

“Please ensure that your privacy settings are robust and are locked down so any posts are only seen by those you would be comfortable sharing such information with.

“We would also encourage you to be vigilant and report suspicious activity you witness.”