London had the most Christmas burglaries in the whole of the UK with nearly 10,000 incidents reported last year, according to new data analysis.
In the busiest time of the year during the festive season, there are more opportunities for thieves to approach homes due to seeing presents on display under the tree through the windows.
And in the run up to Christmas, with parcels left on homeowners front doors, thieves take this as an opportunity to claim their own gifts.
The issue is most prominent in London but can be seen across the UK. According to Spy Alarms, the West Midlands follows the capital with 3,600 festive burglaries with Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield also some of the most targeted areas.
Just under two-thirds of UK residents worry about being burgled and a third of homeowners have revealed that they fear burglaries will increase at Christmas.
Of all the areas in London, West End homes experience the most burglaries.
Spy Alarms, Group Commercial Director, Glenn Flannery said: “Often the thinking around home security can be overwhelming due to the myriad of possibilities on offer and therefore can be left on the to do list.”
Residential Security Surveyor Nigel Standen has put together six pieces of advice to protect you and your family during the festive season:
- Wait until Christmas morning to put gifts under the tree
This will ensure that burglars have less time to spot your festive gifts, especially if the tree is near the windows.
2. Store the presents in different places
If a bulgar manages to get into your home and finds the gifts, it is likely that they will think that is all the presents. However, if you scatter the gifts around your house in different locations then it makes the presents harder to find.
3. Install a smart alarm system
Home security is most important now more than ever with the cost-of-living crisis taking desperate measures. A CCTV system can offer deterrence along with protection in case a burglary occurs. Many systems allow you to look through the cameras on your phone, so matter where you are, you can always search your home.
4. Use security lighting
If you are unable to use a CCTV system, leaving a light on or using automatic timer switches for lamps can convince burglaries that you are home which can deter them from entering your home. Also, installing motion-sensitive exterior lights can alert you of any intruders.
5. Lock up your house
Most burglaries happen from 6am to 6pm during the week so always keep your doors and windows locked when they are not in use and regularly test your burglar alarms.
6. Dispose of packaging discreetly
After Christmas, you are bound to have empty boxes all of the home. However, this is an obvious factor for thieves. For example, if they see a new games console box, they will know that the goods is in the house and they may be more tempted to break in. therefore, make sure you squash the boxes down and hide the packaging inside your bins or take it directly to a recycling centre.
Most importantly, stay vigilant and invest in visible deterrent. You want to enjoy your Christmas without the fear of a burglary.
Featured Image Credit: Creative Commons
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