Burglary Rates Drop Over Christmas As Thieves Take A Break

• February 5, 2016|
• News|
• admin-malbern

The number of burglaries declines over the Christmas period, with thieves using the festive season as an excuse to have some time off.

However, homeowners should still take precautions to protect their belongings, improve their security and check their double-glazing windows in Cheshire to ensure no one can enter their property, as the week leading up to Christmas sees some of the highest rates of theft in December.

Data from Direct Home Insurance shows the five days in the month that experienced the most number of burglaries in 2014 were the 5^th, 6^th, 11^th, 17^th and 18^th.

While burglars capitalise on the opportunity to steal new and expensive gifts at this time of the year, the insurance provider revealed claims decline on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, being 65 per cent, 56 per cent and 41 per cent lower than the yearly average respectively.

Katie Lomas, head of Direct Line Home Insurance, said: “With Christmas shopping now in full swing, households should not be complacent about home security.”

She told homeowners it would be “heartbreaking” to lose their presents because of a lack of security, suggesting property owners fit deadlocks to external doors, install a good-quality alarm, have locks on accessible windows, shut away ladders, light the area around the home and lock the garage or shed.

This comes after Halifax reported the number of burglary claims made last winter was 24 per cent higher than throughout the summer. In 2014, it recorded 4,175 claims during the cold season, each costing £2,178 on average.