Hertfordshire residents have a below average chance of being burgled compared to those in other areas of England, new research has confirmed.

By analysing government data, GetAgent.co.uk found that 149,065 burglaries were reported across the country's estimated 20.5 million homes over the 12 months to June, making the ratio of residential burglaries to properties 0.007. In Hertfordshire, the ratio was 0.005.

Burglaries are least likely in Devon, which has a score of 0.001, while South Yorkshire, Greater London and the West Midlands were tied at the opposite end of the table with 0.012.

Hertfordshire's mid-table ranking was based on an estimated 500,327 total dwellings which had been hit by 2,504 burglaries over the 12 month period.

Colby Short, founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, said: “Crime levels have long been an influential factor when it comes to buying a home. Burglary and home invasion statistics are perhaps the most relevant in terms of how safe we may feel in a given area. These statistics can also affect premiums we might get with home or car insurance.

"A good estate agent should have local crime statistics to hand, but you can also find this hyper-localised data at the click of a button. Utilising this during the initial stages of your house hunt can save you time viewing in areas that aren’t right for you.”