Major Reduction in Leeds Burglary Rates

House burglary rates in Leeds have dropped from 8,863 per year in 2010/11 to 4,016 in 2013/14 – an astonishing 55%. This is fantastic news for a city that has long been known as a burglary hotspot.

In 2011, an Audit Commission (AC) study found that parts of Leeds had three times the national average break-in rate. The report blamed the high rates on poor housing and organised networks for selling stolen goods.

Councillor Mark Dobson, who is responsible for the Safer Leeds initiative, said, “Leeds has now moved from bottom in 2010/2011 to fourth in a league table detailing the domestic burglary rates of the other eight core cities.”

However, West Yorkshire as a whole, despite an 8% fall compared with the previous 12 months, still has one of the worst burglary rates in England, with a total of 24,408 burglaries committed in the year to June.

The Christmas season is often a jolly time for burglars, but this year West Yorkshire Police have decided to send “Christmas cards” to 50 of the most prolific burglars in the area as a friendly reminder that they’re being watched.

WYP also allegedly pass on their lists of who’s been naughty to Santa. Maybe if they didn’t steal from others, burglars would receive prezzies of their own!

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