New Year’s Eve is generally considered to be the festive season’s worst day for burglaries. Homes are 25% more likely to be burgled on December 31st than on any other day of the year as thieves throughout the country take advantage of people who leave their homes unoccupied and full of expensive gifts received just a week before.
The cost of being burgled over the festive season will be much higher than on a normal day because of all the extra expensive items in their home. Homeowners should take extra security precautions over the Christmas and New Year period to make sure that their spirits are not dampened by a thief on the lookout for newly unwrapped items.
As millions prepare to hit the high street next month buying Christmas presents, insurers are warning that expensive electrical items will be high on a thief’s wish-list. Technology moves on quickly, items being bought as gifts include mobile phones, iPods/MP3 players, Sat-Nav systems, digital cameras, games consoles, laptops, LCD TVs, Pocket PCs/Blackberries. All are expensive and all are very easy to carry for unscrupulous thieves.
In the run up to Christmas, households should not leave the presents under the tree nor should they be hid in obvious places such as wardrobes, under the bed or in the shed.
Of course everyone would like to put the presents under the tree for Christmas Eve but before the big day make sure that they are hidden away somewhere safe and not in full view by anyone passing by.
The loft is a great hiding place for presents before Christmas as the average burglar will not have time to climb into the loft and it’s also a safe place to keep presents from excited children who are desperate to get a sneaky look at what they can expect on Christmas morning.
It is also a good idea to speak to the household insurance company whenever any expensive items are bought to have the policy updated. For example a new wide-screen television may bring the contents cover over the limit. Never discard whole boxes in the dustbin, as this will give a thief some clues about what they will find in the home. Instead why not take the box to the local recycling site. Anyone out and about on New Year’s Eve should leave some lights on and make sure all doors and windows are securely locked.
Tags: Home Insurance