Burglars given a break by homeowners

11th August, 2006

According to a recent survey by Halifax, around two million Britons are regularly putting their home and property at risk by leaving an external door unlocked on a regular basis. Entry via the backdoor proves to be the most popular route of entry and results in the loss or damage of household items not covered by the home policy. Figures show that around a quarter of burglaries happen when thieves are gaining access through an unlocked door and around 17 million Brits fail to lock their doors all the time. Worryingly, more than half of all break-ins occur whilst people are at home.

Those living in London, Wales and the west of Britain were found to be the most careless and left their homes unlocked more often with one in ten failing to secure their homes. Senior underwriter at Halifax home insurance, Vicky Emmott, said: "Locking doors is such an effortless action and yet it probably provides the most effective deterrent to any thief. "Householders should be aware that leaving a home unlocked when it's unoccupied could invalidate a home insurance policy?

 

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