The FINANCIAL — As night-time draws in earlier, the threat of burglary will become a real concern for many. However, age-old fears that dark evenings create more opportunities for thieves may be unfounded as AA Home Insurance data reveals little correlation between winter nights and burglaries.
Historical home insurance claims data shows that burglary claims account for around 12% of all home insurance claims – regardless of the season.
“It's natural to suspect you'll be more at risk of burglary in the winter when it's dark and easier to sneak around unnoticed," said Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance. “But if you can't see them, it's likely they'll have trouble seeing where they're going too. The important thing to remember is that burglary is largely opportunistic and thieves often take advantage of open windows and unlocked doors,” he added.
The majority of householders take some steps to protect themselves during the run up to Christmas to put off burglars, reveals the research conducted by the AA/Populus Home Panel.
Fifty-two per cent said they left their lights on when they go out, while 19% said they hid their Christmas presents, rather than put them under the tree.
A wacky 1% said they created 'Home Alone' style traps to defeat any unwelcome Christmas visitors.
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