BELFAST is one of the top 10 safest cities when it comes to household theft, according to a new report.
The figures, from research by Endsleigh Insurance Services, put Belfast in joint ninth place with Chester, with the list topped by Guildford.
The report also shows Belfast residents are among the least clumsy in the UK; the city comes in seventh b
est when it comes to claims made for accidental damage in the home. Manchester was the city top in that category.
The figures are included in Endsleigh's Homes Report 2008 and were collected by analysing household theft claims over the past four years from hundreds of thousands of policyholders.
Student policyholders were not included in the sample.
Company spokesperson Rhiannon Harris said: "Belfast's high rating for burglary is great news for the city.
"There are a number of local initiatives which have been put in place to fight burglary, and the Belfast Community Safety Partnership has produced a series of crime prevention leaflets to provide advice on home safety.
"It is welcome news that we are seeing a gradual decrease in household theft right across the UK.
"Indeed, according to British Crime Survey statistics, domestic burglary fell by 59 per cent between 1995 and 2007.
"This must be due at least in part to the many initiatives police, local councils and community groups across the country have set up to combat household security issues.
"Burglary figures may be dropping but there is no room for complacency when it comes to protecting your home."
The report also covers accidents in the home, determining the most and least 'accident-prone' towns and cities with Bournemouth, Milton Keynes and Newport heading the list while Manchester, Leeds and York were deemed the safest.
Nottingham came out as the riskiest city for household theft, followed by London and Bristol. With Guildford, Dundee and Norwich the top three safest.
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