Sunday, December 12

Beware: Christmas presents can be a gift for burglars

Basic security checks could keep burglars at bay this Christmas,
Christmas comes but once a year, but that is often enough for burglars to take advantage of slack home security and a supply of brand new goods piled conveniently under the tree, insurers are warning.

Although thieves are more likely to take a rest on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve is the season's worst day for burglary, according to 10 years' worth of claims data from Aviva. Homes are 22% more likely to be broken into on 31 December than on an average day.

The estimates of how much people will spend on presents this year varies considerably with financial comparison website Confused.com predicting an average total of £250, while Santander Insurance expects UK consumers to splash out about £650 each. But regardless of the value, Confused.com said that a pile of shiny new gifts fresh out of their wrapping paper, quickly turn the average home into a target for opportunistic burglars.

Almost three-quarters of Brits feel more at risk of burglary over Christmas, yet only one in four will increase their home security despite these thefts costing homeowners or insurers an average £2,623, according to Confused.com.

Gareth Kloet, its head of home insurance, said: "It may sound basic, but relatively simple steps could save money and possible heartbreak. Each home insurance provider has their own set of conditions, so do make sure your items are valued correctly."

The risk of burglary could also be greater as a result of social networking sites such as Facebook, according to Co-operative Insurance. It says the amount of information that users freely divulge to their "friends" may seem fairly harmless, but if it falls into the wrong hands it can lead to problems.

As Co-operative Insurance spokesman David Neave said: "Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace need to be used with caution.

"While it may seem harmless to countdown to an event such as a holiday, if an opportunist person stumbles across the information which clearly tells them when your house is not going to be occupied, you are vastly increasing the chance it will be burgled."

As a youngster in care, Michael Fraser came within a whisker of receiving a custodial sentence for burglary.

Having "gone straight" he is now a successful business consultant and once co- presented Beat the Burglar on BBC One. Fraser said the living room is the most valuable room in a home and is consequently a popular target.

"I would advise not to put presents under the Christmas tree until the last possible moment and closing the curtains can also help.

"Think carefully about where to put valuables, make sure they are secure and that your policy covers them, should the worst happen."

He adds that families should never leave boxes or receipts visible from the windows, but keep them together, preferably upstairs and out of sight.

"Don't keep presents in one place," he explains, "as it makes 'shopping' easier for the burglar."

Thieves will also tend to go for the path of least resistance and look for homes that lack even basic security. But the naivety of the general public can also be preyed upon.

Fraser says there are many other measures homeowners can take to minimise the risk, including:

■ Don't leave door keys in obvious hiding places such as underneath a pot or a mat or dangling in the letterbox. Thieves know all the tricks.

■ Keep hedges at the front of the property low – don't give the burglar the cover he requires.

■ Paint drainpipes with anti-climb paint and install motion-sensitive security lighting around the exterior of the property.

■ Fit a brightly coloured burglar alarm and place high up and prominently to the exterior of your house.

■ Always lock up your garden tools and furniture that could help a burglar to break in.

■ Always shred confidential paperwork before disposing of it.

■ Take dated photographs of your rooms so that, in case you are the victim of a burglary, you can provide photographic evidence of your contents.

■ Keep suitcases in your loft or attic as these can be used to carry valuables away.

A spokesman for Halifax insurance said that if you have been burgled, you should report it to the police as soon as possible and obtain an incident number.

Tell your insurer, quoting the police incident number and giving as much detail as possible about what has been taken and any damage caused to property.

If your home has been left unsecured after a break in, ensure both the police and your insurer are aware of this fact as this could damage any future claims should a thief make a repeat visit.

Top 10 items taken by thieves last year










10 Apple Macbooks





(source:guardian.co.uk)
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)