A POLICE scheme which has resulted in more bobbies being on the beat has resulted in burglaries hitting an almost record low - and Barnsley is leading the way.
Bosses say that neighbourhood policing is the cornerstone of crime prevention and provides ‘crucial reassurance’ to communities.
The police’s neighbourhood teams - of which there are six in Barnsley - work proactively and on the streets to ensure that criminals are caught and brought before the courts.
Following incidents which cause particular concern to communities, these officers have a greater presence as part of patrol plans to deter offending and reassure the public of their safety.
The teams also play a ‘vital’ role in reducing crime.
Bosses launched a scheme in March last year in a bid to drive down the number of burglaries by targeting hotspot areas across the borough.
New figures for burglaries across South Yorkshire show that January and February were the lowest for those months since 2018.
In February 2025, there were 458 reports of burglary across the force, almost a record low - the lowest being 454 reports in May 2020.
All four districts - Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham - saw a sharp drop in the number of burglaries reported, with Barnsley leading the way with a 40 per cent reduction on the monthly average for residential burglaries.
Superintendent Paul Ferguson, force lead for Neighbourhood Policing, said: “I am incredibly proud of the hundreds of neighbourhoods police officers and PCSOs working hard across South Yorkshire to make their communities safer places to live.
“These are just a few examples of the excellent work our teams do every day, working with residents and partners to reduce crime, bring offenders to justice and reduce harm.
“Their dedication has paid dividends with visible results across the county.
“Whether executing warrants, tackling antisocial behaviour, and other forms of neighbourhood crime that blight communities, or simply providing a reassuring presence, it is clear that NPTs have an integral role to play in keeping South Yorkshire safe.”
According to figures from the Police UK website, there were 93 burglaries across the entirety of Barnsley in February.
Barnsley South East’s Neighbourhood Policing Team - who cover areas such as Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe - were the busiest during this month with a total of 21 similar incidents reported to them.
This was the highest figure across the borough, and the only area which saw burglary listed as one of its most common crimes.
The North East Neighbourhood Policing Team - whose patch stretches across Grimethorpe and Cudworth - had the second-most amount of burglaries with 20.
Both Barnsley North’s officers, who cover Darton and Kexborough, and Barnsley Central’s, who work in areas like the town centre and parts of Monk Bretton, responded to 16 crimes of this nature.
Whole officers who work in Dodworth and Penistone under the guise of Barnsley West officers only responded to 11 incidents.
But it was Barnsley South’s officers who saw the least amount of action in that respect, responding to only nine incidents during the 28-day period.
Their patch includes areas like Wombwell and Darfield.
