The UK's theft hotspots - and the most stolen items

A new study has revealed that the most commonly stolen items in the UK are bikes - which make up a shocking 46% of all claims. As they get increasingly sophisticated and expensive, thieves are cashing in on the fact that a pair of bolt-cutters and a busy bike rack can net them several thousands of pounds worth of bikes in a couple of minutes.

The research, by homeprotect.co.uk, examined insurance claims and discovered that almost half of them included bikes being stolen. Shane Leivers, director of product and marketing said: "As more people have taken to cycling, bicycle theft is much more common throughout the UK. With the weather improving, there are likely to be many more cyclists on the roads and preventing bike theft should be a priority for every rider."

What can you do?

He suggests that it's essential to invest in a heavyweight lock, that cannot be easily broken. If possible, when you leave your bike, it's also worth attaching at least two locks, to make it harder to steal.

At night, when your bike is most vulnerable, you should ideally store it inside, so criminals can't work under the cover of darkness to get through your locks. And if you own a bike in an area where theft is rife, it may be worth considering riding something relatively inexpensive, so it's not worth criminals taking the time to get through your locks.

Riders should also register their bike to their address - so it can be returned if it is stolen - and make sure their bike is covered by their home insurance - just in case.

Other vulnerable items

It also found that handbags were the second most likely item to be stolen - followed by mobile phones, watches and jewellery. In many cases watches and jewellery are stolen during a break-in, but the fact that phones and handbags are so high up the list, emphasises how important it is to keep an eye on your valuables at all times when you are out and about.

When it comes to handbags, this tends to mean keeping them in your hands, or checking them into a secure cloakroom, and if you really don't want to be clutching a bag when you're in a restaurant or bar, invest in handbag hanger, so you can keep it within eyesight rather than on the floor.

Hotspots

The researchers also investigated the regions where items are most likely to be stolen. The worst theft hotspot was East Anglia - which accounted for 16% of all theft claims. This was followed by the Home Counties, the South East, the Midlands and the North East.

The safest regions - with fewest claims - emerged as Wales, the North West, Scotland, the South West and London. However, even here, there are still thousands of thefts every day so it's essential to take sensible precautions - wherever you are.