Manchester tops league for home burglaries

The major burglary "hotspots" in England and Wales are revealed today.

Analysis of official figures shows central Manchester tops the league, followed by parts of Nottingham and Reading.

Each area suffered more than 30 home break-ins for every 1,000 households last year.

The statistics reveal huge disparities between areas over the risk of home burglaries.

Rural Teesdale in Co Durham has the lowest rate, with only 14 offences in total last year, or 1.2 for every 1,000 homes.

The Tories, who uncovered the figures, said some areas were suffering a burglary in "almost every street".

But the Government said burglary levels have more than halved since 1997.

Annual crime figures released earlier this month showed a 1% increase in house burglaries - the first annual rise for six years.

Police recorded 284,445 house break-ins in the financial year 2008/9 - meaning one family falling victim every two minutes.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: "These figures show that in the worst areas there has been a burglary in almost every street in the past few months.

"This increase in burglaries is a big problem, and it's not just down to the recession.

"The jump in drug taking announced last week is also a big factor - since a large proportion of burglaries result from people trying to get money to feed a drug addiction.

"We desperately need real action to get police away from filling in forms at their desk in police stations and out on to the beat tackling the problem."

The revelations came as ministers revealed which areas received a slice of £5 million for improving property security.

More than 45,000 homes are to have their security improved by the Safer Homes Fund.

Older people and those on low incomes will be targeted with new window and door locks.

Home Office minister Alan Campbell said: "Burglary has more than halved since 1997 and the recent crime figures show that, despite a recession, the level is not going up.

"We are not complacent however and we want to do more, which is why this week we announced £5 million from the Safer Homes Fund to protect people in the most vulnerable communities.

"Operation Vigilance allows the police to target more prolific offenders, including burglars, and the Drug Interventions Programme is proving increasingly successful at breaking the link between drug taking and acquisitive crime. The Government is backing local police and local partnerships to make people safer in their homes."

* Data for all areas in England and Wales can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/cdrptabsa.xls

Here is a table showing the 20 areas with the highest burglary rates in England and Wales

Rank, Police force, CDRP, ROBD, RPTH

CDRP = Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

ROBD = Recorded offences of burglary in a dwelling, 2008-09

RPTH = Rate per 1000 Households

1 Greater Manchester Manchester 7167 35.0

2 Nottinghamshire Nottingham 4367 33.3

3 Thames Valley Reading UA 1769 30.0

4 Metropolitan Police Haringey 2870 29.6

5 West Yorkshire Leeds 9248 27.6

6 Bedfordshire Luton 2020 27.3

7 West Yorkshire Bradford 5236 26.7

8 Metropolitan Police Enfield 3049 26.3

9 Thames Valley Slough UA 1207 26.2

10 Avon & Somerset City of Bristol UA 4706 25.6

11 Metropolitan Police Redbridge 2470 25.2

12 Greater Manchester Tameside 2328 24.8

13 Metropolitan Police Brent 2534 24.6

14 Metropolitan Police Waltham Forest 2173 23.6

15 Leicestershire Leicester 2782 23.4

16 Metropolitan Police Ealing 2788 23.0

17 Thames Valley South Bucks 599 23.0

18 Cambridgeshire Cambridge 1077 22.9

19 Humberside North East Lincs 1574 22.5

20 Greater Manchester Salford 2182 22.3