Knowle has had the fifth most burglaries reported over the last 12 months of any Solihull ward it has been revealed.

A total of 78 burglaries took place between June 2021 and June 2022 - some 21 less than Shirley West which saw the most.

Data obtained via a Freedom of Information request also revealed that other affluent areas towards the south and east of the borough, such as Dorridge & Hockley Heath, Knowle and Meriden surprisingly did not make the top ten.

The news comes just days after police launched an appeal for CCTV in Kenilworth following a spate of burglaries in the town.

Below is a full breakdown of the top ten burglary hotspots in Solihull between June 2021 and July 2021:

1. Shirley West – 99
2. Olton – 89
3. Shirley South – 88
4. Bickenhill – 85
5. Knowle – 78
6. Lyndon – 78
7. Smith's Wood – 77
8. Blythe – 75
9. Kingshurst & Fordbridge – 71
10. Shirley East – 70
11. St. Alphege – 70

The figures also include attempted burglary offences.  

West Midlands Police said that of these 880 burglaries, just 31 led to charges or a court summons. This amounts to just over 3.5 per cent. 

Earlier this year, Solihull Liberal Democrats claimed that 18,803 burglary cases across the West Midlands were closed by West Midlands Police in 2021, but no suspect was identified in 16,188 cases.

They said this works out to roughly 311 burglaries per week in a year where no suspects were identified.  

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Lauren McCarthy, said at the time: "Crime is soaring, with police struggling to cope following 10 years of officer and budget cuts under this Tory government. The Conservatives are soft on crime and letting far too many criminals get away with it. 

"As a result, too many people's lives in Solihull are being ruined by burglaries. As someone who has experienced burglaries myself, I know the long-lasting trauma that a burglary leaves."