Twickenham, home to St Mary’s University, has been named the UK’s number one student burglary hotspot, new research from MoneySuperMarket has revealed.

According to analysis of two million home insurance quotes run by students over the past two years, those living in Twickenham are most likely to make a claim for burglary, with a rate of 33 per 1,000 quotes.

Students living in Leeds are the second most likely to experience theft from the home with a rate of 30 per 1,000 quotes.

And those attending the University of Bradford and living in the surrounding areas face the third highest risk, with a rate of 27 per 1,000 quotes.

Welsh postcodes dominate the student towns with the lowest rate of claims, with Camarthen (Trinity St David), Newport (Harper Adams University) and Aberystwyth (University of Aberystwyth) all featuring in the bottom five.

Northern Ireland’s Coleraine (University of Ulster) is also one of the student towns with the lowest rate of claims, and if your child goes to the University of Exeter, they’re in one of the safest places as just five claims have arisen per 1,000 quotes.

However, it seems that protecting property isn’t as high on students’ priority lists as MoneySuperMarket found on 22% have burglar alarms fitted, compared with 30% of the general population. They are also 7% less likely to have operating window locks.

Opportunists are on the look-out for a soft target

Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Insurance is unlikely to be a priority for most students – ditto home security for those in halls or lodgings – but burglars and opportunist pilferers are always on the look-out for a soft target, so it’s important that students are aware of the risks they face and take steps to protect themselves.

“Insurance is essential. Some students might benefit from extended cover on their parents’ home contents policy, but it is crucial to check by reading the small print. Another option is a specialist student policy that is designed for halls or shared accommodation.”

Pratt adds that if your children live in halls, if they head to the communal kitchen or to another room, they should lock their room. If they share a house with friends, they should speak to the landlord about fitting sturdy locks on exterior doors and windows, as well as locks on their bedroom door.

“University is meant to be a time where people gain knowledge and experience of their subject and of the wider world. But it shouldn’t be a place where students have to learn about the misery, inconvenience and cost of being burgled. That’s why being security conscious and having adequate insurance is a vital part of student life,” he added.