Residents and visitors to Mid Wales are the least likely to be victims of pick-pocketing anywhere in the country, new figures reveal.

The report, compiled using freedom of information requests to forces across the UK, showed there had been 358 "thefts from person" in the last four years in Dyfed Powys, just seven for every 10,000 residents.

The figures showed the area was it nearly three times as safe as the next lowest area, North Wales, where there were only 15.7 per 10,000, followed by Surrey, England with 16.

Perhaps predictably, the worst area was that covered by the Metropolitan Police service in London, where 195,018 offences took place in the same period of time, with Lincolnshire a distant but surprising second place ahead of third placed Manchester.

The London figures amount to 223 such crimes for every 10,000 people living in the capital over that same period — five times the national average of 45 per 10,000.

James Brown, director of insurance provider Protect Your Bubble, said: "While it is not exactly a surprise to see the sprawling metropolises of London and Manchester topping this list, it is interesting to see Lincolnshire being ranked so high.”

“For the force to have recorded so many of these thefts, but have such a comparatively low population, suggests there are pickpockets aplenty operating in this area.

“Residents in this force area should take extra care when walking around with valuable, uninsured belongings, especially phones, tablets, laptops and jewellery.”