Burglary risk 'rises over Christmas'
Published On 12 December 2006
Homes left unoccupied over the festive period are particularly vulnerable to burglaries, new research from a home insurance provider has found.Direct Line Home Insurance says 11 million properties are left empty between Christmas and New Year as a quarter of Britons leave their homes – and £1.6 billion worth of presents – at risk from thieves.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of the people who go away for an average of four nights leave behind presents worth around £285.
The research says homes in the capital are particularly at risk, with 39 per cent of Londoners planning to travel. Other places affected by the Christmas exodus are the north-east of England and Scotland.
One in five homeowners say that they feel their homes are more at risk over Christmas, and 13 per cent worry they will be a victim of crime at this time.
"Christmas travel is more popular than ever, but it carries with it increased security risks," said head of Direct Line Home Insurance Andrew Lowe.
"Statistics show that there is usually a rise in domestic crime at this time of year, and with Christmas being such a busy time it is easy to forget to take extra measures to secure the home."
He recommended homeowners take extra steps to protect their home over Christmas, and stressed the need to ensure they had an adequate and up-to-date home insurance policy.
Recent research by to Barclays Insurance found a 14 per cent increase in burglary claims in the period following Christmas.
