According to recent research from Halifax Home Insurance, almost a quarter (22 per cent) don’t bother to keep windows and doors locked when they are in the home, and one in six (17 per cent) say they don’t have any home contents insurance, leaving themselves with no means of recouping the cost of valuables should they become a victim of burglary.
Halifax’s own claims data shows that 29 per cent of burglaries last year were unforced through open or unlocked doors and windows, with claims peaking in August when the weather is at its hottest.
Senior claims manager Martyn Foulds said: “When it’s warm outside people often leave windows and doors open to keep cool, but many don’t realise that burglaries often happen while the homeowners are at home, as opportunist burglars reach in through open doors and windows to grab whatever they can. Small items such as wallets, car keys, MP3 players and digital cameras are particularly at risk. We’d recommend people close windows when they are not in the room and lock their front door when they are out in the back garden.”
Since the recession began, one in seven (14 per cent) people say feel more vulnerable to burglary than ever before, and almost a quarter (24 per cent) said they have been a victim of burglary at some time in their lives, yet still one in five people (20 per cent) admit they never think about keeping items of value out of sight of would-be thieves.
Halifax Home Insurance recommends homeowners take the following steps to ensure they don’t give burglars an open invitation to steal their valuables this summer:
Lock the front door when out in the garden
Keep windows closed when not in the room
Don’t leave valuables within easy reach or visible through windows
Mark your property with an ultra violet pen to help police trace it if it is stolen
Keeping receipts of valuables can help in the event of a claim
Consider installing a safe for small valuables such as jewellery, watches and credit cards
Fit visible, key operated window and door locks and keep them locked, particularly on the ground floor of properties.
Don’t leave keys hidden outside as most burglars know where to look
Install a burglar alarm in a prominent place and always set it at night and when leaving the property empty.
According to Halifax Home Insurance’s own claims data, the top ten hotspots for unforced burglary claims in 2008 were:
Central London
Leeds
Chester/North Wales/Wirral
Enfield and Barnet
Manchester
Grimsby
Nottingham
Coventry
Kingston
Harrow, Uxbridge and Wembley
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