What the break-in numbers don't tell you
We went past the headline totals in police and government data for Canada and the US. Canadian police cleared about 1 in 5 break-ins recorded in 2025, about half of Chicago's 2025 home burglaries involved no forced entry, and Friday was the busiest day in three cities.
Canadian break-ins in 2025 that led to anyone being charged. 1 in 5 was cleared in any way.
Police cleared 1 in 5 break-ins in Canada
In 2025, Canadian police recorded 109,753 break-ins. 19.9% were cleared, and 15.9% led to a charge. The share leading to a charge ranged from 6.9% to 43.2% across metro areas.
In the US, the FBI reports that 17.4% of reported property crimes were cleared in 2025. In Chicago, 256 of 4,372 home burglaries in 2025 had an arrest recorded, about 1 in 17.
Every metro area, ranked by share leading to a charge
| Rank | Metro area | Lead to a charge | Odds | Solved in any way | Break-ins per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater Sudbury, ON | 43.2% | 1 in 2 | 46.8% | 157 |
| 2 | Trois-Rivières, QC | 36.1% | 1 in 3 | 38.2% | 145 |
| 3 | Guelph, ON | 31.3% | 1 in 3 | 34.3% | 225 |
| 4 | Sherbrooke, QC | 30.4% | 1 in 3 | 33.4% | 133 |
| 5 | Saguenay, QC | 30.1% | 1 in 3 | 32.2% | 163 |
| 6 | Barrie, ON | 27.2% | 1 in 4 | 28.8% | 104 |
| 7 | Peterborough, ON | 26.6% | 1 in 4 | 28.4% | 192 |
| 8 | London, ON | 23.9% | 1 in 4 | 27.4% | 209 |
| 9 | Drummondville, QC | 23.3% | 1 in 4 | 26.9% | 215 |
| 10 | Thunder Bay, ON | 22.3% | 1 in 4 | 32.7% | 276 |
| 11 | Windsor, ON | 21.9% | 1 in 5 | 24.4% | 239 |
| 12 | Regina, SK | 21.8% | 1 in 5 | 23.2% | 338 |
| 13 | St. John's, NL | 21.6% | 1 in 5 | 23.3% | 257 |
| 14 | Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON | 21.1% | 1 in 5 | 23.2% | 251 |
| 15 | Kingston, ON | 20.4% | 1 in 5 | 23.6% | 242 |
| 16 | Ottawa-Gatineau, ON/QC | 19.9% | 1 in 5 | 23.5% | 189 |
| 17 | Toronto, ON | 19.5% | 1 in 5 | 21.3% | 169 |
| 18 | Brantford, ON | 19.0% | 1 in 5 | 25.3% | 240 |
| 19 | Lethbridge, AB | 18.6% | 1 in 5 | 24.7% | 490 |
| 20 | Halifax, NS | 18.2% | 1 in 5 | 21.3% | 151 |
| 21 | Montréal, QC | 18.1% | 1 in 6 | 22.4% | 213 |
| 22 | St. Catharines-Niagara, ON | 16.7% | 1 in 6 | 19.7% | 187 |
| 23 | Saint John, NB | 16.4% | 1 in 6 | 18.6% | 246 |
| 24 | Hamilton, ON | 15.7% | 1 in 6 | 19.6% | 192 |
| 25 | Québec City, QC | 15.4% | 1 in 6 | 17.4% | 205 |
| 26 | Belleville-Quinte West, ON | 15.1% | 1 in 7 | 22.7% | 190 |
| 27 | Saskatoon, SK | 14.9% | 1 in 7 | 16.8% | 453 |
| 28 | Calgary, AB | 13.3% | 1 in 8 | 14.9% | 312 |
| 29tied | Edmonton, AB | 11.3% | 1 in 9 | 12.6% | 416 |
| 29tied | Victoria, BC | 11.3% | 1 in 9 | 19.0% | 193 |
| 31tied | Winnipeg, MB | 9.9% | 1 in 10 | 11.9% | 502 |
| 31tied | Abbotsford-Mission, BC | 9.9% | 1 in 10 | 13.5% | 268 |
| 33 | Moncton, NB | 9.4% | 1 in 11 | 10.2% | 551 |
| 34 | Fredericton, NB | 9.3% | 1 in 11 | 12.8% | 315 |
| 35 | Nanaimo, BC | 9.2% | 1 in 11 | 14.7% | 269 |
| 36 | Red Deer, AB | 8.8% | 1 in 11 | 11.4% | 435 |
| 37 | Chilliwack, BC | 7.5% | 1 in 13 | 14.1% | 416 |
| 38 | Kelowna, BC | 7.2% | 1 in 14 | 13.4% | 403 |
| 39 | Kamloops, BC | 7.0% | 1 in 14 | 12.1% | 472 |
| 40 | Vancouver, BC | 6.9% | 1 in 14 | 10.7% | 249 |
Metro areas with the same figure share a rank.
"Cleared" means either someone was charged, or police identified a suspect but did not charge for another reason. Includes homes and businesses. Statistics Canada, 2025.
About half of Chicago's home burglaries involved no forced entry
Chicago police record whether a burglar forced their way in. In 2025, more home burglaries were recorded as unlawful entry, meaning no force, than forcible entry.
Of the burglaries recorded as forced or not forced, 52% had no forced entry. A national US survey found nearly the same share, 52.5%, averaged over 2003 to 2007. The same survey found someone was home in about 28% of household burglaries.
Friday is the worst day in all three cities
Toronto, Chicago and New York keep separate records, but the pattern is the same: Friday has the most home break-ins.
Toronto
Friday: 59% more than the quietest day
Chicago
Friday: 37% more than the quietest day
New York City
Friday: 41% more than the quietest day
But the seasons are opposite
Chicago's home burglaries peak in summer. Toronto's peak in December, when the days are shortest.
Toronto
Peak: December. Quietest: July.
Chicago
Peak: August. Quietest: February.
2025 home break-ins by the day they happened. Toronto counts each incident once, including attempts and unlawful entry.
Many break-ins never reach the police
Police counts are the floor, not the total. People skip reporting small losses, or don't know they were broken into until they get home.
Down 77% since 1998
Canada's break-in rate has fallen in most years for nearly three decades. Regina and Vancouver are both down 87%.
Break-ins per 100,000 people, Canada, homes and businesses. Statistics Canada.
What it means for your home
- Lock up, even for a short trip. In Chicago's 2025 records, and in a national US survey of 2003 to 2007, about half of home burglaries involved no forced entry.
- Give police something to work with. Canadian police cleared 19.9% of recorded break-ins in 2025, so clear footage of a face or a vehicle can be a useful lead.
- Fridays and the dark months need extra care. Lights on timers and a camera you can check from your phone help when you're out.
- Check in when you're away. 13% of Toronto home break-ins in 2025 were reported a week or more after they happened.
About this data
Canada. Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0177-01, total breaking and entering, 1998 to 2025. Cleared and charged shares are our calculations from its counts. Includes homes and businesses.
Toronto. Toronto Police Service, Major Crime Indicators open data, break and enter at houses and apartments, 2025, by date it occurred. Preliminary and may be revised.
Chicago. City of Chicago, Crimes 2001 to Present, burglaries at residential locations, 2025. Arrest status can be updated after the fact.
New York. NYPD Complaint Data Historic, residential burglary complaints, 2025.
United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization 2024, Table 4; Victimization During Household Burglary (2003 to 2007 averages); FBI, Reported Crimes in the Nation 2025.
Each city defines and records break-ins differently, so compare patterns, not totals. MkaeSense is not affiliated with any of these agencies. This is general information, not a prediction for any home.