Swindon has been named as Witshire's worst burglary hotspot, according to a new study.

The research carried out by Personal Injury Claims UK found that there had been 608 residential break-ins recorded by police in the past year in Swindon.

A staggering 2,116 residential burglaries were recorded by Wiltshire Police between 2022 and 2023, this accounts for around six home invasions on average every day across the county.

This includes both aggravated break-ins and distraction burglaries, which are sinister crimes whereby a person tries to gain access to a home by trying to trick the owner into believing they need help, or are officials in the area.

Swindon accounted for 29 per cent of the burglaries across the county, Salisbury took second place with 21 per cent and Devizes landed in the third position with 11 per cent.

The new figures come amid a recent revelation that UK police have failed to solve a single burglary in half of the country as charging rates for the crime have plummeted in England and Wales.

The percentage share and ranking of highest rates for recorded home burglaries are as follows:

  1. Swindon: 29 per cent
  2. Salisbury: 21 per cent
  3. Devizes: 11 per cent
  4. Trowbridge: 10 per cent
  5. Warminster: 9 per cent
  6. Chippenham: 9 per cent
  7. Amesbury: 7 per cent
  8. Royal Wootton Bassett: 5 per cent

Former victims’ commissioner, Dame Vera Baird told the Telegraph: “What these figures show is that in half of the neighbourhoods, burgling somebody's home is a free hit. The criminal can walk away with the proceeds and never look back.”