Epping Forest is home to some of the worst burglary hotspots in Britain.

District postcode RM4 had second highest number of burglary claims in the nation according to research by price comparison website MoneySuperMarket.

Residents in Abridge, Theydon Bois, Stapleford Abbotts and Lambourne End reported more burglaries per 1,000 people than in any other part of Britain, apart from Digbeth in Birmingham.

In the RM4 postcode, which also includes Stapleford Tawney, Navestock, Passingford Bridge, and Bournebridge, there were 69.26 burglary reports per 1,000 residents in 2020.

Chigwell, also in Epping Forest, had the ninth worst rate of burglary reports at 50.16 per 1,000 residents.

Barnet’s East Finchley N2 post code had a recorded rate of 49.24.

Woodford Green and Clayhall in Redbridge were not far behind at 48.15 and 46.93 respectively.

The research reveals a 7 per cent fall in theft rates, with an average of 14.98 claims per 1,000 – down from 16.03 in 2019. After consecutive years of claims increases, the fall is likely due to more homes being occupied as a result of coronavirus restrictions – something which acts as a deterrent to would be burglars.

Kate Devine, insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Our research reveals that after a few years of rises, burglary claims started to fall this year – something we believe is most likely linked to the various lockdown restrictions implemented over the past 10 months. With more people at home than normal, it makes sense that potential burglars would see this as a deterrent which could explain the fall in claim numbers.

“While the fall is undoubtedly a good thing, it’s important to remember that burglaries remain a reality across the UK, so it’s important that you protect your home. One way to do this is to look at the type of locks you currently have in your home, to help bolster the security of your doors and windows. Further measures such as burglar alarms, security lights and timers on your indoor lights that give the illusion of occupancy are also effective deterrents against burglars.”