Police force data reveals garage thefts rose by 13 per cent annually across Britain from 2022 to 2025, data see by This is Money shows. 

Two in five garage thefts reported were 'unforced', meaning the door was left open at the time of the offence, according to a Freedom of Information request of police data by Garolla. 

Daytime raids on residential garages are increasingly prevalent, with the data suggesting 9am to 10am was the worst time for offences of this nature. 

Half of all garage burglaries and thefts took place during standard working hours, from 9am to 5pm. 

According to the analysis, crooks targeting people's garages were most likely to strike in May and June, when the weather gets warmer. 

Only 1 per cent of incidents took place between the hours of 4am and 5am, the analysis showed.  

Of incidents reported to the police during the period, the data suggests there were approximately 11,000 burglaries or thefts from garages a year.  

Alastair Mayne, chief executive of Garolla, said: 'It’s easy to think "I’m only popping out for 10 minutes", but that’s exactly the window opportunistic thieves are looking for.

'With over 40 per cent of garage burglaries involving no forced entry at all, simple habits can make a big difference. 

'Whether it’s being mindful of your routine or upgrading your garage door and its security features, a few small changes can protect thousands of pounds worth of belongings.'

While garage thefts and burglary incidents have increased in the past few years, the number of home burglaries reported fell by approximately 10 per cent, the data suggests. 

During the period from 2022 to 2025, West Yorkshire had the highest rate of garage thefts reported, at 5,254, or 215.7 incidents per 100,000 people. 

The Metropolitan Police in London saw the second highest number of reported garage thefts or burglaries, at 4,027, followed by Surrey, Northumberland and police in the Avon and Somerset area. 

Other police districts in the worst 10 locations included Essex, Humberside, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Durham. 

The Freedom of Information request ran alongside Garolla's survey of more than 2,000 people about their garage security habits. 

One in four say they left their garage open while gardening, a habit likely to increase in spring as the weather improves, while 12 per cent said they generally had their garage door open while enjoying a drink in the garden. 

A fifth admit they left their garage door unlocked overnight, while 13 per cent said they always left the connecting internal door from the house to the garage unlocked at night. 

Fourteen per cent of people said they kept valuables in plain site outside their garage.  

There are a number of steps households can take to help prevent criminals from targeting and accessing their garage, starting with the most obvious...

1. Close and lock your garage 

Leaving your garage open for even a short period of time is one of the easiest ways for thieves to get in, even if you think you have an eye on it.

Opportunistic criminals often look for quick wins, and an unlocked or open garage can be an open invitation. 

Make it a habit to fully close and lock the door every time you leave, no matter how briefly.

Keep the garage door closed between uses so that no one can see what is inside. 

2. Don’t give thieves a shopping list

Garages are often used to store bikes, tools and expensive equipment, which are all attractive to thieves.  

If these items are visible through windows or gaps in the door, you could be advertising what’s inside. 

Keep valuables out of sight with blankets or similar, use cupboards or covers where possible, and consider frosting windows if your garage has them.

If you need to, property mark your items and take photographs of them. Some tools can be painted with your name or postcode and forensic marking is also an option. 

3. Park in front of the garage when you are not using it

Parking close to the garage door when you are not using either makes it harder for thieves, as they don’t have enough room to operate in.

4. Don’t forget the connecting door

A sizeable proportion of households leave the connecting door to the house from the garage unlocked, giving direct access to the home. This can be a serious weak point if it is left unlocked. 

Treat it like your front or back door and always keep it locked.

5. Set electric garage door to automatically close if applicable

Electric garage doors reduce the risk of human error, and most have a setting you can enable in which they close automatically and do not rely on someone remembering to lock up. 

Some also claim electric garage doors are harder to force open than manual ones.