It’s August, and as much as it is the season of vacations, it’s also a season of upgrading homes. With crime rates still significantly higher than the national average, London is one of the hotspots of criminal activities in the UK. With more than 252,000 violent crimes, 69,200 thefts, and nearly 53,000 burglaries by the end of July 2023, London doesn’t seem like the best place to live in the UK.
Still, crime is steadily getting under control, as burglaries, in particular, are down 0.3% on a yearly basis. Some experts suggest this change is due to the homeowners’ initiative to install at least some protection in their homes.
“Living in London can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you have a bustling city with all its amenities and glory. On the other hand, when you leave home every day, you can’t be sure you’ll find it as you left it,” says Ivelin Hristov, the expert behind Fantastic Services locksmiths, one of London’s most renowned home security installation companies.
Of course, how safe a property is depends entirely on its location. Ivelin is adamant that no borough is 100% safe, but some are definitely better than others. With Ivelin’s help, Fantastic Services created a comprehensive statistic of London’s top 20 most secure boroughs.
Hammersmith and Fulham, and Haringey
Getting further away from the City of London seems like a good idea, as Hammersmith and Fulham, on the one hand, and Haringey, on the other, seem much better in regards to crime rates than the central London boroughs. With a crime rate of around 105 per thousand and between 20,000 and 30,000 crimes in total for the entire 2022, both boroughs seem like relatively good places to stay. Moreover, burglaries are barely above the London average.
Enfield, Lewisham, Barnet
Enfield and Lewisham are two boroughs with fascinating cases. Both have lower crime rates than the London average but still have significantly higher burglary rates than the rest of their peers.
Lewisham has about a 5% lower crime rate than London but about 8% more burglaries per 1000 people than the capital. Enfield is the same, with a 7% lower criminal rate but a 6% higher burglary rate.
Barnet is particularly interesting in this aspect. It’s among the 10 safest boroughs in London, with only 70 crimes per 1000 people. This makes it 27% safer than the average.
Barking and Dagenham, Bent, Wandsworth, Croydon, Ealing, and Greenwich
Barking and Dagenham are as close to the average as one can get. With 93 crimes per 1000 people, this borough is just 1.8% lower than the capital’s average. Interestingly, burglary rates are higher than those in central London, despite being less in total numbers per year. Only 10% lower than the London average.
Bent is also there with a 5% lower than average overall crime rate.
Wandsworth is in the same category, with a burglary rate of 7% below the London average.
Croydon is the same story. With more than 2122 burglaries yearly, this borough has only a 5% lower rate than the London average.
For homeowners in these boroughs, Ivelin suggests: “Install some serious locks on the door and some outside lights. It seems that burglars from other boroughs are trying their luck, and light will certainly deter them from breaking and entering. A smart lock with an alarm may be a good idea as well.”
Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Havering, Kingstone upon Thames, Merton, Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Sutton
The nine safest boroughs in London are predominantly situated on the outskirts of Greater London. These places are mostly known for their posh homes and are significantly safer than the London average. Harrow, in particular, is the safest borough in London, with a 37% lower crime rate than the average. When it comes to burglary, however, the safest borough is Bexley, with an almost 50% lower burglary rate than the rest of London. That’s simply amazing.
These areas have far fewer burglaries because of the already existing security measures. Most homes in these areas are equipped with high-end security systems.
Conclusion
While there are definitely boroughs that are inherently safer than others, every home is only as safe as the security system makes it. As Ivelin says, “You can either live in fear or invest in your peace of mind. Security systems are much more than protection against burglary. They are effectively bettering the quality of your life.”
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