Burglary rates for Northumberland's main towns are revealed

Out of 1,032 burglaries in a 12-month period, only 58 cases were solved and the perpetrators punished.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service found that, of 1,032 burglaries to take place in the worst-affected areas of the county, just 58 offenders had been convicted.

Northumbria Police were quick to point out that the figure, which works out at just 5.62%, does not include the fact a number of cases have not yet been concluded.

Ashington was the worst-affected town, with 273 burglaries in the 12 months from the start of July in 2021 to the end of June this year. The top nine worst affected areas were as follows:

Ashington – 273 Blyth – 202 Morpeth – 138 Bedlington – 97 Cramlington – 90 Hexham – 88 Prudhoe – 78 Berwick – 66 Alnwick – 58

Despite the concerning figure, Northumbria Police said they were above the national average for burglary detection.

Detective Chief Inspector Sean Mcguigan, burglary lead for Northumbria Police, said: “We recognise the impact that burglary can have on victims and we are continually looking to prevent and detect these type of offences.

“We have dedicated burglary teams who are tasked with reviewing burglary crimes and patterns and they look to identify offenders and bring them to justice.

“As a force, we are above the national average for burglary detection but we are not complacent and will continue to use every tactic at our disposal in order to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Det Ch Insp Mcguigan said people were more likely to be burgled if they left expensive items on view, or didn’t secure their properties properly.

He added: “We also know many people who commit such offences are opportunistic, and look to target homes where doors and windows have been left unlocked or valuables are on display.

“We would therefore encourage everyone to take steps to ensure their properties are appropriately secure.

“Further crime prevention information and advice can also be found on our website.”

Go online at https://beta.northumbria.police.uk/advice-and-info/protecting-your-home-and-your-possessions/burglary-prevention/