Thursday 28 April 2011

Middle Class? Semi Detached? Xbox/PS3? And a Ford Mondeo on the drive?

Sound similar? If you are all of the above you are the perfect target for thieves. According to Home Insurance Provider, Halifax, the amount of burglaries in these types of homes are more likely to be targeted than any other. 

Rather than mansions, swanky apartments and three-story -houses, thieves say a "middle-class" semi typically worth around £153,000 is the ideal target. Anything over and above this is more likely to have high-tech security with more chance of getting caught. Also, bigger houses tend to have larger rooms which makes it harder and more time consuming for thieves to find valuables quickly. According to a survey of criminals on remand, homes worth £260,000 or more are a red flag to burglars, as are porches or BMWs. Halifax found that games consoles are the most popular items to steal, followed closely by mobile phones and jewelery. 


As Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance said: "There are many ways homeowners can help protect themselves such as keeping ‘desirable’ items out of sight from the front windows, and understanding that even within the home, sensitive items should be kept in a safe and discreet location."


Five top tips on keeping yourself safer from burglars:


1. Don't flag your two-week break to burglars by mentioning it on Facebook. Your status might make your friends jealous but it's like taking an ad out in Robbers' Weekly.
2. Don't advertise new goods. People dump the boxes of expensive gadgets outside with the normal rubbish.
3. Don't be a creature of habit. A thief will go to the TV cabinet for the games console, etc.
4. If you are going away, cancel milk and newspapers.
5. Make sure locks and keys are up to date. If you move house, change locks

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