Residents of quiet neighbourhoods should not assume they will not fall victim to crime, Dorset police have warned.

Many car and home insurance providers use postcode districts to help them with pricing, with those in low-crime areas often benefiting from lower premiums.

The area around Mudeford and Highcliffe is usually considered a safe haven, but local residents have experienced a spate of break-ins during the past few weeks.

It has been garages and sheds - rather than homes - which have been broken in to, with valuable power tools the target for thieves, but PC Chris Vaughan said people were still feeling the impact of the crimes.

"East Dorset is the safest place to live in the UK but the potential consequences of this type of crime - however infrequent - are that people's feelings of security may be jeopardised," he said.

Tools are a popular target for criminals and police forces across the UK regularly warn workers not to leave them in vans overnight.

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