Lock up! Peak Christmas burglaries strike this week
Thursday and Friday this week are set to be peak days for burglaries. Burglars know we have bought all our presents, and left them stacked around the Christmas tree, while we go off to socialise with friends and family. Add in the dark nights, and you have the perfect opportunity for a burglar to destroy your Christmas.
The dates have been highlighted by Direct Line, which found the 17th and 18th December were in the top five most burgled days in December (the rest of the top five includes 5th, 6th and 11th).
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The items most likely to be stolen at this time of year include bikes, followed by mobile phones, tablets, cameras and power tools.
The top ten is:
1. Bikes
2. Mobile phones
3. Tablets
4. Laptops
5. Cameras
6. Power tools
7. Golf equipment
8. Audio equipment
9. Games consoles
10. Gardening equipment
Burglars only step things down on Christmas Eve (when the value of stolen items is 65% below the yearly average). They also take Christmas Day off (when claims are 56% below) and Boxing Day (41%).
Presumably it's too difficult to find a window of opportunity to steal your presents when you're gathered around the TV with your family.
There have already been a number of stories in the news, where thieves targeted presents ready for Christmas. A woman in Stockton woke up to discover that burglars had broken in overnight, and taken presents for her four children - including a tablet and electronic toys.
Meanwhile, four families in Newport, Fife, had their presents stolen in a spate of burglaries over the course of a week, and burglars in Runcorn stole presents intended for three children - including an electronic baby doll, an Xbox and games.
Last December, games console thefts peaked - at almost a third more than other times of year. The experts say, therefore, that if you're giving anyone a console for Christmas, you should take care not to leave it somewhere in plain sight, and you should avoid throwing away packaging in the street. It's far better to take the cardboard to the recycling centre to be on the safe side.
Protect yourself
Direct Line says there are some steps that will help protect your presents. You need to ensure you have deadlocks or key-operated security bolts on all external doors, and key-operated metal locks for all your accessible windows. Ideally, fit a good quality, approved alarm – look out for British Standard BS473.
You need to be sure you shut up your house and lock up every time you leave - however long you are away for - and at night. Never leave keys in a lock, or a 'secret' hiding place like under the mat – burglars know where to look.
In the garden, lock up garden tools and ladders – so they can't be used to break into your home; trim garden hedges so that doors and windows can be seen and no-one can hide; and make sure the area around your home is well lit.
When you are home, check the identity of callers before opening your door fully – a chain or a 'spyhole' will help. If anyone calls and wants access to your home, view their story with suspicion. It's far better to keep them on the doorstep and check their story than to take a risk.
You also need to check whether you have enough insurance cover for your presents. Some policies will include 'uplifts' at this time of year to cover presents. However, analysis from MoneySuperMarket reveals cover uplifts can vary significantly. For example, Esure increases contents cover by 15% a month before and after Christmas, while LV= offers a 10% uplift.
But uplifts aren't always automatic, so if the gifts you have in your home either side of Christmas are likely to take you above your contents insurance limit, you should make it a priority to adjust your contents policy to avoid an underinsurance hangover.
Kevin Pratt, insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: "As a nation, we spend substantial amounts on the joy of giving gifts over the Christmas period. While being burgled at any time of year is unpleasant, it's really important to ensure you are covered for the extra items you acquire during Christmas, to avoid opportunists ruining the festive season."
