Christmas is a prosperous time for burglars. Expensive presents on display and a higher chance of homeowners out visiting family and friends – homes are a treasure chest for thieves.
As well as homes being unattended they are also likely to contain higher value items in the form of presents this time of year. Ranging from gadgets, jewellery and clothing – Christmas is a burglar’s dream.
According to data from the UK Police November and December are peak times for burglary attempts across England and Wales.
Composite door company Truedor collected data from the UK Police earlier this year which showed that during a 12-month period, more burglary attempts took place in November and December than any other month of the year across England and Wales:
Truedor’s research was carried out in June this year when they conducted a survey of 2,000 UK residents on what they believed was the best deterrent to a burglar.
Surprisingly, 23% of those surveyed believed a burglar alarm to be the best deterrent, despite data showing that 90% of reported burglaries across England and Wales during the same 12-month period, the thief went unidentified.
This data tells us that preventing the burglar from entering your home in the first place is key to prevent a burglary from taking place. Yet only 16% of those surveyed agreed.
BBC Crimewatch published advice on securing your door which includes tips such as using a five lever mortice deadlock, fitting a spy hole and installing the letter box a distance away from the door lock.
The below graphic highlights the key tips to secure your door and prevent being a victim this Christmas: