MORE burglaries in Dorset are being committed by over 50s, new figures show.

Figures released by Churchill Home Insurance show that crime is not just committed by the young with Dorset Police being ranked third with five per cent of all burglary arrests (82 out of 1,571) involving a suspect over 50.

On a regional level, Merseyside Police recorded the highest rate of arrests of older burglars, with 10 per cent (308) of the 3,018 burglars arrested in the period aged over 50.

Meanwhile, Derbyshire Police had the second highest proportion of older criminals, with seven per cent (60 of 840) of all arrests for burglaries between 2014 and 2017 involving an older offender.

Meanwhile in Hertfordshire and Surrey, more than one in twenty of those arrested on suspicion of burglary was aged over 50.

Nationally, there have been nearly 3,000 arrests of burglars aged over 50 since 2014, averaging more than two arrests every single day.

Latest figures show that 8,9672 people were charged with domestic burglary across the UK in 2016, of which 359 were over the age of 50 (four per cent) in 2016.

Of those charged, 7,070 were subsequently found guilty including 270 over 50s (3.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, there were 706 arrests for aggravated burglary made in 2016, of which 25 were over the age of 50 (3.5 per cent). Just 205 people were found guilty of aggravated burglary, of which seven were aged 50 plus (3.5 per cent).

Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance said: “This research shows that burglary is a crime that is committed by offenders of all ages and it appears not all opportunistic thieves are young.

"In fact, with more experience under their belts, older burglars could present a greater threat than their younger counterparts.

"It is vital that home owners remain vigilant and don’t discount an older individual that may be surveilling their property.

“Checking doors and windows to make sure they are secure, keeping valuables out of sight and making the property look occupied even when it isn’t are all simple things which will help deter would-be burglars and avoid the emotional and financial trauma of becoming a victim of crime.”