How Do Burglars Break Into Houses in London?

The Reality Is Different From What Most People Imagine

When people picture a burglary, they tend to imagine a broken window or a forced back door in the middle of the night. The reality, based on police data and the Crime Survey for England and Wales, is quite different - and knowing how break-ins actually happen is the first step toward preventing them.

London has one of the highest burglary rates in the UK. The Metropolitan Police recorded over 52,000 burglary offences in the capital in the most recent reporting year. That is roughly 140 burglaries every day across Greater London.

How Burglars Get In: The Data

Doors, Not Windows

Over 70% of residential burglaries in England and Wales involve the burglar entering through a door. Windows account for roughly 20-25% of entries. The remaining cases involve other access points such as garages, conservatories, or shared building entrances.

This is the opposite of what most people assume. Homeowners often invest in window locks and alarms while neglecting the most common entry point - their own front door.

Front Door Is the Primary Target

Of all door entries, more than 60% happen through the front door. The back door accounts for roughly a quarter, and side doors make up the remainder. Burglars prefer the front door because it often offers the most cover (porches, hedges, recessed doorways) and because many front door locks are weaker than homeowners realise.

The Unlocked Door Problem

Roughly one in four burglaries in the UK involves no forced entry at all. The burglar simply walked in through a door or window that was not locked. This figure has remained consistent for years and represents tens of thousands of preventable crimes annually.

In London, this proportion can be even higher in flats with shared building entrances, where residents leave doors on the latch or prop open communal doors for deliveries.

The Most Common Forced Entry Methods

Lock Snapping

Lock snapping is the most common method of forced entry on uPVC and composite doors. The burglar grips the exposed euro cylinder with pliers and snaps it at the weak point near the fixing screw. The entire process takes under 15 seconds and requires no specialist tools.

If your uPVC or composite door has a standard euro cylinder without anti-snap protection, it is vulnerable. Our detailed guide on what is lock snapping and how to prevent it explains the method and the solution.

Forced Locks and Frames

After lock snapping, the next most common method is brute force - kicking or shouldering a door to break the lock or split the frame. This is more common on older timber doors with worn locks or frames that have not been maintained.

Multi-point locking systems resist this better than single-point locks because the force is distributed across several locking points rather than concentrated on one.

Letterbox Manipulation

Some burglars use a tool inserted through the letterbox to reach the internal door handle or hook a set of keys left near the door. This method leaves minimal evidence and is particularly common in London where terraced houses often have letterboxes close to the door lock. See our guide on letterbox security for prevention measures.

Window Entry

When burglars do use windows, they typically target ground-floor windows at the side or rear of the property - the areas least visible to neighbours and passers-by. The most common method is simply forcing a window that is partially open or has a weak catch. Fewer than 3% of burglaries involve forcing a properly locked window.

Opportunistic Entry

A significant number of London burglaries are not planned. They are opportunistic - a burglar tries door handles as they walk down a street, checks for open windows, or follows a delivery driver into a building. The decision to burgle a property is often made in under 30 seconds based on how easy access appears.

When Do Burglaries Happen?

Contrary to popular belief, most burglaries in London happen during the day - typically between 10am and 3pm on weekdays, when properties are most likely to be unoccupied. Weekend burglaries are less common because homeowners are more likely to be at home.

The peak months are October through January, when shorter days provide more cover, though summer also sees a rise due to holiday absences and open windows.

What Actually Prevents Burglaries

The Measures That Work

Based on police data and academic research, these are the measures that make a measurable difference:

1. Locking doors and windows - this single action would prevent roughly 25% of all burglaries
2. Upgrading door locks - fitting anti-snap cylinders or BS3621 mortice deadlocks eliminates the most common forced entry method. See our guide to BS3621 locks and insurance.
3. Visible burglar alarm - properties with visible alarms are significantly less likely to be targeted, even if the alarm is not monitored
4. Exterior lighting - motion-activated lights at the front and rear of the property deter opportunistic attempts
5. Secure letterbox - a letterbox restrictor or cage prevents tools being inserted through the letter slot
6. Not leaving keys near the door - a key rack visible from the letterbox or a set of keys on the hallway table is an invitation

The Measures That Make Less Difference

• CCTV cameras - they help identify burglars after the fact but have limited deterrent effect on opportunistic thieves
• “Beware of the dog” signs without an actual dog - burglars learn to ignore these quickly
• Hiding valuables - this protects possessions but does not prevent the break-in itself
• Timer switches on lights - useful when on holiday but irrelevant for daytime burglaries

A London-Specific Problem: Flatted Properties

London has a higher proportion of flats and converted houses than anywhere else in the UK. These present specific security challenges:

• Shared entrances - communal front doors are often propped open or have compromised intercom systems
• Multiple keyholders - more residents means more keys in circulation and greater risk of lost or copied keys
• Upper-floor complacency - residents of upper floors sometimes neglect lock security because they feel less vulnerable, but a compromised communal entrance gives access to every flat in the building

What to Do Next

If you are concerned about the security of your front door, the most cost-effective step is upgrading your lock. An anti-snap cylinder or BS3621 mortice deadlock eliminates the most common break-in methods and typically costs under £150 fitted. Our lock change service covers all door and lock types across London - contact us for a quote or a security assessment.