Police Data Reveals Rise in Daytime Garage Burglaries

For many, the typical picture of a burglary would be a masked figure breaking into the home in the dead of the night.

However, what if we told you that the ‘new normal’ for thieves is to breeze into an open or unlocked garage door, in broad daylight?

We submitted a Freedom of Information request to every police force in the United Kingdom; to find out how many burglaries of residential garages have been logged since 2022.

The data showed that garage break-ins are rising, even as other types of household burglary fall.

Since 2022, garage burglaries have increased by 13%, climbing from 9,724 incidents to 11,011, despite overall burglaries across England and Wales dropping by around 10% in the same timeframe.

The growing gap suggests criminals are becoming more opportunistic, increasingly targeting garages as home security improves elsewhere, and treating them as an easier way in.

Intriguingly, many of the burglaries are happening during the morning school run, when children are playing in the garden, or even while you’re mowing the lawn…

• 39,951: The number of garage burglaries confirmed since 2022
• £400m: The estimated value of goods that have been exposed to thieves during the burglary incidents
• 13%: The rate that garage burglaries have risen by since 2022
• 50%: Quantity of garage burglaries that happen during working hours of 9am to 5pm
• 42%: Almost half of garage burglaries are ‘unforced’, and rely on homeowner error

The Police data obtained by Garolla revealed the most common times of day in which garage burglaries have taken place since 2022.

Interestingly, the five hours between 9am and 2pm contain every single one of the peak hours for garage burglaries.

Almost one in ten garage burglaries (8%) is committed between 9am and 10am, perhaps surprising given this is a typically busy period when homeowners might be on the school run, commuting, or working from home.

Overall, half (50%) of all garage burglaries happen during working hours (9am – 5pm).

While the middle of the night might be the quietest period on the streets which is presumably ideal for thieves, a relatively small number of burglaries are logged during this time.

Just 1% of garage burglaries occur between 4am and 5am, with a further 1% logged between 5am and 6am.

It is also surprising to see that garage burglaries peak in the Spring and Summer months, when days are close to their longest point.

Far from thieves scrambling around in the dark in the winter, bold thieves are targeting garages in June more than any other month, with May the third highest month for garage thefts.

This tallies up with what we found during our consumer survey, with many Brits admitting to lapses in concentration that could provide a chance for burglars to pounce.

Homeowners are enjoying themselves during warm, daylight hours, and in some cases, they are being punished for this.

Almost a quarter of homeowners (23%) have left their garage open while gardening, which is the nation’s number one bad safety habit.

A further one in five (20%) have left their garage unlocked overnight, leaving it vulnerable.

Unlike manual doors that rely on homeowners remembering to lock them, auto locking systems secure the door automatically every time it closes, reducing the risk of garages being left vulnerable through everyday routines or simple mistakes.

Garolla’s Titan garage doors go a step further, holding Secured by Design accreditation (the official police security initiative). This means that they meet Police Preferred Specification standards for crime prevention.

By combining automatic locking with independently recognised security credentials, systems like Garolla’s Titan range help make garages a far harder target for would be thieves, rather than the weak link in home security.

Garage burglary ‘hotspots’

The police data we gathered also revealed which areas of the country have been experiencing garage thefts more frequently than others.

West Yorkshire is the area with the highest number of garage burglaries overall, with over 5,000 (5,254) logged since the start of 2022.

London is the area with the second largest number of burglaries, with 4,027 in the same period.

However, when taking population into account, Surrey emerges as the area with the most significant garage burglary problem.

While 3,662 garage burglaries have been logged in Surrey, which is almost 2,000 less than West Yorkshire in the same time period, Surrey’s smaller population means that more offences have been logged per 100,000 people than anywhere else.

In Surrey, 293 garage burglaries have been reported per 100,000 people. In comparison. Just 44 burglaries were reported per 100,000 people in London during this time.

With garage break-ins increasingly taking place in broad daylight, our data suggests that homeowners may need to reassess their security and remain vigilant.

Opportunistic thieves are exploiting busy daytime routines, unlocked access points and a false sense of safety, making garages a growing target. Simple precautions and greater awareness could make a crucial difference in reducing the risk of becoming the next victim.

Alastair Mayne, CEO at Garolla adds:

“It’s easy to think ‘I’m only popping out for 10 minutes’, but that’s exactly the window opportunistic thieves are looking for. With over 40% of garage burglaries involving no forced entry at all, simple habits can make a big difference. Whether it’s being mindful of your routine or upgrading your garage door and its security features, a few small changes can protect thousands of pounds worth of belongings.”

Check out our range of roller garage doors, which can help to secure your garage from thieves.