A home is being broken once every 189 seconds with 166,577 burglaries occurring across England and Wales in the year ending March 2025. And with Christmas quickly approaching, homeowners are being warned to brace themselves for the expected influx in crime that the festive period brings.
Now, shock new data has revealed that parcel thefts increase by 81% during December, and more than 6,000 burglaries have taken place during the Christmas period in the UK since 2020. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to all UK police forces revealed the UK’s parcel theft hotspots and uncovered festive dates properties are most likely to be targeted by mean-spirited burglars.
The study of police data by blind experts Hillarys found that across the UK, there have been 6,134 burglaries on the most festive days of the year between 2020 and 2024. The most common day for burglaries during the festive period is New Year’s Eve (1,932), accounting for almost one third (31%) of all Yuletide break-ins. This is unsurprising as four in 10 Brits go out to celebrate the new year, leaving their homes unattended.
Christmas Eve is the second most common day for burglary, with 1,701 burglaries and 28% of the total festive burglaries. Although it isn’t a bank holiday many still head out whilst others continue to work in the lead-up to Christmas, leaving their homes to clock in. Following in third place is Boxing Day with 1,384 break-ins. Surprisingly, Christmas Day is not far behind with 1,157 burglaries reported since 2020 throughout the UK.
West Midlands Police reported the most burglaries over the festive period, with 637 incidents from 2021 to 2024, equivalent to 1.66 break-ins every hour. Mirroring the national trend, New Year’s Eve is also the worst day for festive burglaries in the West Midlands, with 218 incidents — accounting for 34% of the region’s break-ins during this time. In 2024 alone, the West Midlands had 197% more festive burglaries than the UK average (95 vs 32).
Christmas burglaries have also increased by 15% in West Yorkshire, with almost 80% of burglars not caught by police. They received 603 burglary reports over the Christmas period from 2020-2024, with New Year's Eve the most common day for break-ins with 184 reports. 2023 was the worst year for festive burglaries within the area, with 133 reports.
The rise of internet shopping and home deliveries has sparked a dramatic increase in parcel thefts – which rocket by 81% in December. Overall, there have been 28,177 parcel thefts between 2020 and 2024 - equivalent to 16 parcels being pinched every day. Residents in Hertfordshire, Kent and Essex are among those most at risk of ‘porch piracy’ this Christmas, with Hertfordshire recording the highest number of parcel thefts.
John Foster, home security expert and exterior installation and service manager at Hillarys explained how to reduce the risk. He said: “Ensuring your home is secure is pivotal all year round, but especially important during the festive season, where we see an uptick in burglaries and an increased rate of parcel theft."
Some easy tips for keeping your home and items secure include:
Lock doors and windows, and keep them covered: Always double-check key entry points, even when you are at home. Avoid keeping presents in view of windows, and close your blinds to keep people from scouting for easy wins.
Secure sheds and garages - Locks and safety measures can include garage doors. Use a police-backed scheme that tests products to stringent security standards, ensuring stronger materials and anti-tamper features are built in.
Install security cameras or a doorbell camera: A camera can deter opportunistic thieves and provide useful footage to share with both police and retailers if something goes wrong. They will also alert you when a parcel arrives and allow you to speak to couriers directly to advise them on a safe spot to leave the parcel until you’re home.
Use parcel lockers or collection points - If you are away from home, use a collection point or locker to ensure no items are left unattended and avoid having to stay in so that you don’t miss packages. If possible, require a signature for deliveries to prevent items from being left unattended.
Choose a safe place option - Many delivery services allow you to specify where they can leave a package if you are not home, including with neighbours, in lock boxes, in sheds, and even to not leave a delivery on the doorstep.”
