Manchester is most burgled city in Britain, new data shows
Following a survey of 2,000 respondents, security camera installation company CCTV.co.uk discovered that there are as many as 15 burglaries per 1,000 people in Manchester.
Mancunians fall victim to more home burglaries than any other residents in Britain, a new study has revealed.
After conducting a survey of 2,000 respondents, security camera installation company CCTV.co.uk revealed that there’s as many as 15 burglaries per 1,000 people in Manchester.
The results arrive during a month blighted by news of burglaries in the city centre – with break-ins reported at both Blue Eyed Panda and Chakalaka.
A little further afield, residents in Failsworth have also set up a street patrol to combat a crime wave in their own neighbourhood.
The north, as a whole, fared particularly badly in the study – with seven of the top ten most-burgled locations sitting above the Midlands.
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Close behind Manchester was the Yorkshire town of Doncaster (with 13.1 burglaries per 1,000 people) and Hull (which recorded 12.5).
Leeds, Bradford, Rotherham and Sheffield residents also complained of high levels of crime in their communities.
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Whilst CCTV Installer James Ritchey admitted the results were puzzling, he said that the number of “densely populated estates and terraces” in a town may play a role.
“We don’t know why Manchester has it so bad,” said Mr. Ritchey.
“Many of the areas prone to burglaries are densely populated estates and terraces, and Manchester is full of these types of homes.”
He added: “Every burglary has an effect on the person who lives in the home, and burglaries tend to be carried out by a small number of people who live locally to the areas they target.
“Perhaps Manchester and Northern cities are simply more prone to this effect.”
The full list of most-burgled places in Britain was revealed as:
Rank
Location
Burglaries per 1,000 people
1
Manchester
15
2
Doncaster
13.1
3
Hull
12.5
4
Leeds
11.5
5
Bradford
10.4
6
Rotherham
10
7
Sheffield
10
8
Southampton
9.8
9
Birmingham
9.3
10
Northampton
9.1
Whilst Mr. Ritchey admitted the results “paint a worrying picture”, he said a “few simple steps” could help to deter burglars.
These include the installation of physical barriers such as fences, hedges, gates and doors; locks that are audited regularly by locksmiths; security lights; home alarms; and CCTV cameras with warning signage (telling crooks your property is guarded).
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“Protecting yourself from a burglary doesn’t have to cost the earth,” said Mr. Ritchey.
“[Having security] gives you total peace of mind going into the winter months.”
‘Prolific’ South Manchester burglar jailed for thefts which included peanuts…
Daisy Jackson
A ‘prolific’ burglar has been jailed for just over two years, for numerous thefts including sunglasses, airpods, and peanuts…
The man was caught red-handed inside someone’s property, where he claimed he was just wanting a glass of water – but was found by police officers to have the resident’s car keys in his pocket.
Fazal Alnesi, 26, from Moss Side, was then linked to a number of other burglaries, attempted burglaries, and thefts across South Manchester.
Fazal was sentenced to 27 months at Manchester Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to offences including six counts of burglary in June of this year.
He was arrested on 12 June, when a man returned to his home in Fallowfield in the early hours of the morning and discovered Fazal inside his address.
He claimed he was there because he wanted a glass of water but subsequently refused to leave, which led to police being called.
Officers placed Alnensi in handcuffs and found the resident’s car keys in his pocket, as well as indications that he’d been rummaging through the man’s drawers.
He was later linked to other thefts include a wrench set from a car, a pedal cycle worth £350, airpods, sunglasses – and even peanuts from one address.
He additionally took an electric bike charger from one address worth hundreds of pounds.
PC Jon Holden, from GMP’s City of Manchester district, said: “Alnensi took various items from several homes and cars across a two-week period earlier this year, making off with hundreds of pounds worth of goods.
“Ultimately, Alnensi left people feeling unsafe in his own home, and I am glad he is now behind bars.
“Our team will investigate all burglaries, and I would encourage people to get in touch with us – all intelligence helps us lock up criminals and bring them to justice.”
The top 10 ‘happiest’ places to live in the North West in 2026 have been named
Emily Sergeant
The top 10 happiest places to live in the North West have been named for 2026.
It comes as Rightmove has published its annual ‘Happy at Home’ index this week, just as it has done for the last 14 years now, exploring exactly what it is that makes people feel content about where they live, and highlighting the happiest places nationwide ahead of the new year – with thousands of residents across more than 200 locations providing feedback.
The residents told the leading property listing platform what they love (or don’t love) about their community, from the friendliness of their neighbours, to job opportunities, access to green spaces, and so much more.
The survey also outlined the differences in happiness in rural, urban, and suburban environments, as well as the way our sense of ‘home happiness’ changes as we age.
So, when it comes to the North West as a whole then, where do we have in the top 10?
Well, to kick things off, you may have already seen that one Lancashire market town has earned its place in the top 10 nationwide, not just for the North West region – and that’s Chorley.
Closest to the Bolton and Wigan boroughs, Chorley – which is is about a 40-minute drive outside of Manchester, and sits on a direct train route into the city centre.
But aside from the national top 10, when it comes to the regional top 10, the next two towns following Chorley in second and third are both in Greater Manchester.
The North West’s top 10 happiest places to live 2026
Chorley
Stockport
Altrincham
Chester
Macclesfield
Southport
Kendal
Wirral
Northwich
Carlisle
Altrincham has been named one of the North West’s happiest places to live / Credit: The Manc Group
The ever-thriving Stockport comes in at number two, followed by Trafford favourite Altrincham directly behind it at number three.
Other of the region’s inclusions like Bury, Bolton, Wigan, and the Manchester borough itself all ranked towards the bottom.
Speaking on this year’s list, Colleen Babcock – a property expert at Rightmove – explained: “The balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings. Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.
“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Wikimedia Commons)
The Manc -
13th October 2020 
