Burglary

(Known in Scotland as 'housebreaking')

Do you have information on those behind planned break-ins and burglaries? You can tell us anonymously, 24/7.

Call 0800 555 111 or fill in our anonymous online form:

Keep your house and loved ones safe - all year round.

According to data published by the Office for National Statistics, it’s estimated that in 2022, there were 271,519 burglaries - that's 744 per day, or one every 116 seconds.

Help keep your community safe by telling us what you know about:

Someone who's committing burglaries in your area
Planned break-ins – where and when
Gangs who target vulnerable victims
Who’s selling stolen goods, and where
People who steal car keys from homes, and then their cars
The motives of those who carry out thefts and use weapons
Unexplained wealth on your street
If you see lots of visitors to a neighbour’s house at unusual times

Burglary is not just about the loss of possessions. It’s traumatic to lose valuable and personally important items from your home – and the emotional shock of having your property invaded can also be deeply upsetting.

If you're a victim of burglary, Victim Support can help. They say: "Some people blame themselves if they forgot to secure a window or door, or if they were tricked by the burglar, but it’s important to remember that it’s not your fault."

According to Neighbourhood Watch, properties with the WIDE security combination ‑ Window locks, Indoor lights on a timer, Door double or deadlocks and External lights on a timer or sensor - are nearly 50 times more protected from burglary than those with no security.

Stop burglars - all year round. Find out more about our Safer Communities campaign:

Learn more

Use UV or indelible pens, postcode etching or chemically coded systems to mark your property & make it difficult for thieves to sell it on.
Register your valuables for free on the Immobilise website: www.immobilise.com. If they’re stolen, it will allow you to tell the police & your insurer.
Protect your bike by joining BikeRegister, the UK’s national bicycle marking and registration scheme, which makes your bike a harder target for thieves and could help to reunite you with it in the event it is stolen.
Photograph highly valuable items such as jewellery, paintings & antiques. Keep the pictures in a safe place, outside your home.

Criminals watch out for houses they think are empty and unprotected. Make their lives harder by doing the following.

If you can, fit burglar alarms with flashing lights and sounders at the front & back of your property.
Switch lights or a radio on when you go out. You can buy timer devices to do this automatically.
Even if you’re only going out for a few minutes, check that all doors and windows are properly closed and locked.
Make sure side and back gates are secure.
Don’t leave garden tools outside, keep ladders out of sight - and ensure sheds, garages and outbuildings are locked.
Fit tamper-proof automatic outside security lights.
Even when you’re at home, try not to leave accessible windows open at night.
If you’re going away on holiday, ask a neighbour to keep an eye on your home, take in any milk and newspaper deliveries, and maybe park on your drive.
Christmas is a key time for burglaries, with many houses full of new and valuable presents. Don’t alert burglars by leaving present packaging outside – put it all in your recycling box, out of sight.
Don’t let yourself become a victim of a Distraction Burglary, where more than one person calls at your door, trying to dupe you into letting one caller in to burgle you whilst you are distracted by another one.