Britain's burglary capital revealed
London's arty Stoke Newington might be one of the coolest places to live in the capital, but you had better make sure you get good contents insurance if you move there.
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Research based on insurance claims has identified the worst 20 places in the country for break-ins, and trendy "Stokey" (as it is known by locals) has topped the list.
Several areas of Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire also made the list, indicating that the cities have a particular problem with burglaries.
The list was put together based on information given by more than three million people seeking a quote from moneysupermarket.com, who had been prompted to give information about previous break-ins at their home.
The N16 postcode of Stoke Newington came out worst with 33.6 claims per 1,000 enquiries.
Joint second place was taken by the BD10 postcode of Apperley Bridge, Bradford, and the B71 postcode of West Bromwich - which both had 31.7 previous claims per 1,000 enquiries.
Julie Fisher, the head of home insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "Being in a higher risk area doesn't necessarily mean where you live is bad or rife with crime – many thieves will target more affluent areas purely for the rewards on offer."
And she continued: "Most insurers have a blanket approach when it comes to assessing postcode districts for home insurance premiums, but this really needs to change. If houses are evaluated on a case by case basis it would mean homeowners received quotes at the best possible prices based on their individual circumstances.
"Homeowners need to be extra vigilant when it comes to security – installing timers on your lights and ensuring items of value are kept away from your windows are easy steps to take to reduce risk."
The top 10 areas for burglaries were...
1. Stoke Newington, London N16
2. Apperley Bridge, Bradford BD10
2. West Bromwich, West Mids B71
4. Wood Green, London N22
5. Bramley/Rodley/Swinnow, Leeds LS13
6. Austhorpe/Halton, Leeds LS15
7. Saltaire, Bradford BD18
8. Chapeltown, Leeds LS7
9. Intake/Wheatley/Wheatley Hills, Doncaster DN2
10. Streatham, London SW16
What do you reckon? Is the way that contents insurance works fair? Comment below...
