Churchill warns homeowners of christmas complacency in the face of rising burglary numbers

• Nearly three quarters of police forces across the UK reported a rise in burglaries between July and September 2021
• The value of home insurance claims for burglary rocketed by 23 per cent last Christmas compared to the previous quarter, with overall claims up by 10 per cent
• Brits expected to spend £15.7 billion on presents this Christmas

Burglary rates continue to rise across the UK, with almost three quarters (74 per cent) of police forces having reported a rise in burglaries over the last three months, according to the latest Burglary Barometer from Churchill Home Insurance¹.

An estimated 65,000 burglaries were recorded between July and September 2021 – an average of 712 every day. This represents a six per cent increase on the previous three months, with Cleveland (+34 per cent), Suffolk (+30 per cent) and Northern Ireland (+27 per cent) reporting the biggest increases quarter-on-quarter. This is the second successive quarter in which burglary rates have risen, following a period of low figures during the Coronavirus lockdowns when burglars were deterred by the high number of people spending more time at home.

However, in spite of the growing threat of crime, the Churchill Burglary Barometer also revealed that Britons are less concerned about burglary than they were three months ago², with more than 31 million Brits describing themselves as unconcerned about the prospect of being burgled – a 18 per cent increase from Q2, when 26 million people stated that they were either slightly or very concerned. Churchill is warning that this change in attitude, coupled with rising crime rates, could create a perfect storm just as burglary rates typically peak.

Perhaps a reason for this lack of worry is the fact that the vast majority of those who describe themselves as unconcerned also believe that their home is well-protected, with a total of 25 million Britons claiming that their home is protected against burglary. However, this leaves five million people who state that they are not worried about being burgled despite admitting that their homes are not well-protected against intruders. The prospect of burglary is still a concern for many, though, as 12.5 million UK adults claim that while they believe that their home is well-protected, they are still worried about being burgled, with a further 9.8 million claiming to be both poorly-protected and worried.

Sarah Khan, Head of Churchill home insurance, said: “While burglary rates have been creeping up throughout the year, as the UK returns to normal following the pandemic, our research suggests that Britons are not as concerned about being burgled as they once were. While nearly half of the population can point to the fact that they believe their house is adequately protected against the threat of burglary, as reason for their lack of concern, we would advise anyone who feels that their home is at risk to take action ahead of the festive period, which historically has a higher rate of burglary as criminals target presents and unoccupied properties.”

With Christmas just a few weeks away, Churchill is warning homeowners of a potential surge in burglaries, with Q4 2020 having seen a 10 per cent rise in the number of burglaries reported, and a 23 per cent spike in the value of home insurance claims for stolen goods, compared to the previous three months. This rising danger may not be surprising as further research² by the insurer reveals that Britons are planning on spending £15.7 billion on Christmas presents this year.

As well as having the lure of a greater number of valuables to steal, burglars will also be looking to take advantage of people travelling to see loved ones, with 37 per cent of UK adults saying that they will be travelling to see friends and family this festive period. A third of Brits (16.3 million or 31 per cent) will be leaving their homes unoccupied for at least one night this December and 4.7 million (nine per cent) going away for more than a week. Young people (aged under 35) will be spending the most time away, with more than half (51 per cent or 7.5m) spending more than one night away from home, averaging a total of three nights away.

Sarah Khan, Head of Churchill home insurance, continued: “The festive season is a special time of year for millions of people, providing them with the opportunity to see friends and family, relax and take time off. The combination of receiving presents and spending time away can lead to homes being at heightened risk of being targeted by burglars, but the good news is that many people will be able to avoid having a nightmare before Christmas by taking some basic precautions to ensure that their festive season is one to remember for all the right reasons.”

Churchill has provided the following tips to help people make their homes as safe as possible against the threat of burglary this winter:

·         Underneath the tree: Churchill’s research reveals that 40 per cent of UK adults – more than 21 million people – plan to store presents under the Christmas tree. While this is a time-honoured tradition, it can also make homes look more appealing to burglars, so either delay putting presents out or consider positioning the tree away from a window.

·         Don’t use cars as storage: Vehicles can often be an easier target for criminals than homes, and with 3.1 million Brits saying that they’ll be storing presents in their cars, it may be wiser to keep them hidden indoors so that neither children nor burglars can find them.

·         Lit up like a Christmas tree: Burglars thrive in dark, secluded areas where it is easier to gain access to a property without detection. Always ensure any such areas near your home are fitted with motion sensing lights or CCTV so that there is nowhere for them to hide.

·         Look out for Scrooge: Make sure you look after your Christmas decorations. A quarter of people say that they’re planning to put up decorations outside their homes – but research from Churchill reveals that more than 12 million people have had external Christmas decorations either stolen or damaged by people lacking in festive spirit, amounting to a total loss of £1.6 billion³.

·         Make it look like you’re home for Christmas: Before you go on holiday, cancel any papers or milk you might have delivered and install timers which switch lights or radios on automatically. This will make it harder for potential burglars to identify that a house is unoccupied.

·         Prepare for the worst, hope for the best: Sometimes being the victim of a burglary can be attributed to nothing but bad luck. If the worst does happen, knowing that you have an up-to-date, comprehensive home insurance policy that will replace any items stolen or damaged in a burglary can help put your mind at rest.

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Notes to Editors

¹          Analysis of reported burglaries by police force across England and Wales, 2019-2021. Data excludes Greater Manchester Police, Police Scotland and West Midlands Police, which do not currently report on burglaries. Figure is extrapolated based on regional populations to provide an estimated total for the whole of the UK

²          Research conducted by Opinium amongst representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 29^th October and 2^nd November 2021

³          Omnibus research conducted by Opinium among 2,000 UK adults, between the 3^rd and 6^th November 2020.

For further information please contact:

Hayley Saunders
Churchill PR Manager

Tel: 07814269915

Email: hayley.saunders@directlinegroup.co.uk

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.  

Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com