Distraction Burglary
Statistics
Distraction Burglary home page Site map
This page contains statistical figures for distraction burglary from 1998/99 to the most recent findings for 2005/06. There is evidence to suggest that these figures may be lower than the real figures as some victims feel too embarrassed to admit that they were fooled in their own home.
The figures have been split into two groups; pre April 2003 and post April 2003. From 1st April 2003, police forces in England and Wales began recording distraction burglary offences as part of the recorded crime figures.
All forces now use the definition:Any crime where a falsehood, trick or distraction is used on an occupant of a dwelling to gain, or try to gain, access to the premises to commit burglary. Home Office Counting Rules For Recorded Crime (28.2) |
1998-2003
Pre April 2003, figures for distraction burglary were collected on an "ad hoc" basis. Figures for 1999/2000 are not available as during that period, distraction burglary figures were not gathered.
Year | Number of incidents |
1998/1999 | 15,526 |
2000/2001 | 15,882 |
2001/2002 | 19,397 |
2002/2003 | 18,664 |
Breakdown by police forces.
2003 onwards
Distraction burglary has only been recorded by all 43 police forces in England and Wales as a sub-set of burglary in a dwelling since 1st April 2003 and these figures are the first official set to be released.
Year | Number of recorded incidents |
2003/2004 | 15,316 |
2004/2005 | 13,261 |
2005/2006 | 11,552 |
Full information can be found in "Distraction Burglary: Recorded Crime Data Online Supplement to HOSB 14/04" and the new "Distraction Burglary: Recorded Crime Data Online Supplement to HOSB 12/06" (published on 25/01/07).
Last update: Thursday, January 25, 2007