Every winter holiday season, residential burglary rates soar compared to the rest of the year, says Nimblefins.
For example in London, the burglary rate rises 26% on average, and upwards of 55% in some areas. Although the pandemic has brought a reduction in burglaries, data suggests a surge is coming with the festive season.
On average, 1 in 100 homes in the UK are burgled each year. The rate includes all burglary incidents, including attempted burglaries. Greater Manchester is the worst hit, whereas the lowest burglary rates can be found in the South West. The good news is that home burglary rates have dropped in the coronavirus pandemic. There has been a 35% drop in burglaries in Q2 2020 (April through June) compared to the same time period the previous year (Q2 2019).
However, extra caution will still need to be taken in the coming few months. According to UK burglary statistics, someone is home during most (64%) residential burglary incidents. This means being at home in lockdown does not eliminate the risks. What’s more, in 43% of the cases, people at home are completely unaware of what’s happening.
To best protect oneself, it’s good to know how and when most burglaries occur. Data shows surprisingly many incidents take place during daytime (38%), although most criminals still break in after dark (58%).
Most commonly, burglars enter through the front door, and take around £600 worth of goods with them (median figure).
As millions of Brits still don’t have contents insurance, the financial damage from a burglary can be considerable. The average cost to fix damage caused by a burglar trying to enter a home is £846. Burglars managing to gain entry cause even more damage – an average of £1,413. Failed attempts tend to cause less damage (£175). Regardless of the burglary being successful or not, victims report feeling emotionally affected in 83.5% of cases.
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