Semi-detached houses most likely to be burgley

Semi-detached houses in Harrow borough are most likely to be burgled, according to latest police intelligence figures.

Research has also discovered Kenton, Stanmore and Canons Park are the burglary hot spots within the borough at present.

Chief Inspector Louis Smith, who is in charge of intelligence at Harrow Police, has found that 50 per cent of burglaries carried out in the last six months were in semi-detached homes.

He believes this type of property is easier to break into because there is access from both the side and rear. Owners also tend to be more affluent, according to the intelligence officer.

He said: "In the last six months there have been around 700 residential burglaries, 350 of which were semi-detached houses. This is quite a high proportion. Semi-detached homes are the target of the moment.

"The reason they are being hit is probably to do with easy access to the rear of the premises. Flats and terraced houses may present more difficulty to a burglar who wants to break in and not be seen."

According to Chief Inspector Smith, a typical burglary in Harrow happens at a semi-detached house with a flat-roofed single-storey extension that has no alarm. Generally burglars will go to the back of the house and break in via the ground floor, or climb on to the flat roof and in via an upstairs window.

Harrow Police are warning residents to secure their homes to keep burglars out. Chief Inspector Smith also urged people with modern UPVC doors to secure them from the inside by pulling the handle up. He said: "Smashing the glass, removing the pane or just slipping something through the letter box allows the door to be opened very easily, giving the burglar an easy way of removing large items such as TVs and computers.

"Burglary is a crime that can be prevented. It is at its highest in the months of the year with the least daylight. Please help us to help you by taking some simple steps to protect your homes."