A NEW study has put Bradford top of a table of the UK’s most ‘at risk’ cities for burglaries.

It also revealed November as the worst month for burglaries, with one in ten taking place then, and that the average insurance claim has increased by more than £300.

Bradford had the second highest number of burglaries in proportion to its population, with 126 burglaries per 10,000 people in 2015.

This was the second highest number in the country, behind Manchester on 135, and above Leeds on 120.

Bradford also had the second highest number of residents without home insurance, with 29 per cent saying they did not have their homes covered.

The city came second again behind Manchester, where 31 per cent of homes were uninsured.

The average amount paid per home insurance claim in Bradford was again the second highest in the country, with the average payout standing at £2,446, coming second this time behind London, where the average payout was almost £400 higher.

Fifty-eight per cent of Bradfordians said they felt unsafe in the city.

This was almost twice as high as the second-placed city, Birmingham, where 30 per cent of people said they felt unsafe.

The combined figures led to Bradford being tagged as the most ‘at risk’ city in the country.

Almost a quarter of people thought the darker evenings of November put their homes at risk of break-ins, and 35 per cent were more fearful of being a victim of burglary or theft during November.

The research was carried out by insurance firm Rias, whose managing director, Adam Clarke, urged people to be more vigilant.

He said: “As the nights draw in, homeowners not only need to be vigilant about the security of their property, but also ensure they have the right level of insurance cover in place.”

Residents are advised to make sure all keys and valuables are out of sight, all windows and doors are locked, and make homes look ‘lived in’.

Councillor Abdul Jabar, Bradford Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: “It is very worrying that there is such a high incidence of burglary in the Bradford district and perhaps we all need to be reminded to be more vigilant this time of year, in the run-up to Christmas. ”