Edinburgh is Scotland’s top target for housebreakers, study reveals

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Edinburgh has been revealed as Scotland's top target for break-ins

The city is home to 11 of the country's top 20 hotspots for break-ins, with properties in the district of Granton experiencing the highest rate of contents claims, according to research from MoneySuperMarket.

The firm analysed 1.8million home insurance quotes over the past two years to identify postcodes with the highest and lowest rate of claims for contents theft over five years.

For the second year in a row, Granton, on the Firth of Forth to the north of the city, took top spot in Scotland. However, the area has improved since last year, falling from 40.4 claims per 1,000 quotes in 2016 to 34.2 today.

It was followed by the Dean Village and Comely Bank areas of the city, and Portobello and Duddingston in third.. Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Morningside also ranked highly.

Glasgow was responsible for the remaining nine spots in the top 20 with the most at-risk areas being Anniesland, Whiteinch and Arden.

The study found repeat offending is rife with 14 of last year's top 20 postcodes featuring once more in 2017.

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There were 31 postal districts across Scotland with no claims at all including Fort William

It also found the value of claims in winter are more than a third higher than in summer, probably due to the presence of high-value Christmas gifts within homes. The value of insurance for laptops, jewellery, watches and bicycles has also grown in the last year, as Brits invest in new gadgets.

Our findings suggest busy urban areas are the biggest targets for theft

Kevin Pratt, MoneySuperMarket

The lowest rates in areas with at least one claim were in Leslie and Ballingry in Fife with just 1.7 claims per 1,000 quotes. Other low-crime areas include Kilwinning, Ayrshire, and Galashiels, Selkirkshire.

However, there were 31 postal districts across Scotland with no claims at all, including Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Fort William.

Across the UK as whole, the average rate of housebreaking claims fell by eight per cent in the past year, from 13.58 per 1,000 quotes, to 12.44.

Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: "Thieves are interested in two things: where should I go to find stuff worth stealing and where am I least likely to get caught?

"Our findings suggest busy urban areas are the biggest targets for theft, but those who call leafy suburbia home should also be aware of the risks associated with the higher anticipated value of their belongings.

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Glasgow was responsible for nine spots in the top 20

"Housebreaking results in a double dose of trauma, with both emotional and financial repercussions taking a long-term toll on those affected.

"To avoid the turmoil, it's vital to be vigilant against break-ins and to bolster home security to prevent them in the first place.

"It's also crucial to ensure you have contents insurance in place to cover you should the worst happen."

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