More than 1,000 people in Northamptonshire aged over 60 were victims of burglary in 2015

More than 1,000 people over the age of 60 in Northamptonshire were the victim of a burglary in 2015, latest figures have shown.
More than 1,000 people in Northants over the age of 60 were the victims of burglary in 2015More than 1,000 people in Northants over the age of 60 were the victims of burglary in 2015
More than 1,000 people in Northants over the age of 60 were the victims of burglary in 2015

Figures released by Northamptonshire Police after a Freedom of Information request show 530 people aged 60 or above had items stolen from their homes, while a further 486 had garden sheds or garages broken into.

The number of burglaries in 2015 is slightly down from the previous year when there were 581 domestic and 542 non-domestic burglaries in the county.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Liam Condron, chief executive of Age Uk Northamptonshire, said a burglary could have a devastating impact on an older person.

He said: “If an older person is burgled it feels like an invasion of their home and they may feel less capable of defending themselves.

“If an older person is the victim of a burglary or a scam they are more likely to become more distrustful and isolated as they will not go out as much which can affect their health and well-being.”

Mr Condron said statistics showed that older people were less likely to be victims of crime but often had a higher fear of it.

He said: “a lot of older people feel more fearful of crime, especially if there is a spike in burglaries in an area or victims of a particular scam.”