Top ten burglary spots in Birmingham revealed in West Midlands Police data

Selly Oak has topped the list again for the area in Birmingham with the most burglaries. New data from the West Midlands Police has shown there were 491 burglaries in Selly Oak during the last 12 months, over 100 more than second-placed Edgbaston which had 350.

The new figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request show there were 3,107 burglaries in Birmingham between June 2021 and June 2022. Just 85 of these led to a charge or court summons – less than 3 per cent of total cases.

The top ten burglary hotspots in Birmingham are:

1. Selly Oak

Selly Oak consistently tops the list of burglary hotspots in the city, recording 491 since June 2021 and over 700 in 2020. The area’s thriving student population often becomes a target for thieves.

Local community group Love Selly Oak says there are 50-100 burglaries on student houses during the first term of every academic year. Laptops, phones and electronic goods in low-security homes can be a magnet for burglars.

2. Edgbaston

Edgbaston comes in second place with 350 burglaries over the last twelve months. This is up from 273 in 2020 when Edgbaston was fourth on the list.

The area is home to some of Birmingham’s most expensive houses, like this £1.75m home on Calthorpe street. Another Birmingham Live FOI revealed this year that Edgbaston is also a hotspot for bicycle theft, with over 400 bikes stolen over the last three years.

The area also tops the list for aggravated carjackings with ten since 2019.  In one Edgbaston carjacking earlier this year, a group of thugs viciously beat and held a man at knifepoint before stealing his car in Carpenter Road.

3. Moseley and Kings Heath

Third on the list is Moseley and Kings Heath with 317 burglaries during the past year. In March 2022, a brazen burglar broke into a Kings Heath property through the back door in broad daylight and stole a TV, laptop, and an iPad.

4. Stockland Green

In fourth place is Stockland Green with 298 burglaries, up from fifth place in 2020. The northern Birmingham suburb successfully bid for £432,000 from the government’s Safer Streets Fund in 2021 as residents have highlighted the impact of anti-social behaviour in the area.

5. Aston

281 burglaries were reported in Aston during the last twelve months. Not even in the top ten in 2020, the number of burglaries in Aston has jumped significantly in the last 2 years.

6. Northfield

In joint fifth place is Northfield, also with 281 burglaries during the last twelve months. Another new entry to the list, Northfield has also been a hotspot for robberies with 186 in the last three years.

7. Lozells and East Handsworth

Lozells and East Handsworth is Birmingham’s seventh most dangerous neighbourhood in terms of burglaries. The area has recorded a total of 280 home break-ins over the last twelve months.

Considered one of the most deprived areas in Birmingham, Lozells has been the centre of a recent crime wave during which a 16-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in broad daylight in early July. Residents said they are in fear of ‘extreme violence’ which has rocked the area this summer.

8. Longbridge

Longbridge comes in at eighth place in the list with 278 burglaries since June 2021. Down from third place in 2020, Longbridge becomes the fifth area on this list located in the south of the city.

9. Bournville

Bournville, another southern neighbourhood, is in ninth place with 276 burglaries. The leafy suburb is considered one of the best places to live in Birmingham with green space and attractive houses.

Unfortunately though, these benefits can also serve as an invitation for thieves. Bournville has also seen 131 robberies, 380 thefts from a vehicle, and 7 aggravated vehicle takings since 2019.

10. Bartley Green

In final place is Bartley Green with 255 burglaries over the previous twelve months. Down from ninth spot in 2020, Bartley Green has actually had the most burglaries in the whole of Birmingham since 2019.

One mum living in Bartley Green admitted last year that she sleeps with a baseball bat after masked men were caught on her doorbell camera lurking outside her home. The person was seen wearing trainers, black gloves, a balaclava, a bag and a light hoody.

Full breakdown of the number of burglaries in each Birmingham hotspot over the last year

Selly Oak – 491

Edgbaston – 350

Moseley and Kings Heath – 317

Stockland Green – 298

Aston – 281

Northfield – 281

Lozells and East Handsworth – 280

Longbridge – 278

Bournville – 276

Bartley Green – 255

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