Don't be a walking target

Halifax Home Insurance is warning Britons to keep safe when out and about to avoid being targeted, as figures released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics showed that pickpocketing increased by 8% in the year ending December 2012.

The recent Halifax Insurance Digital Home Index, found that UK adults each own an average £4,164 worth of technology devices. With 46 million (96%) of the UK population taking a mobile phone out and about, 9 million (19%) carrying an MP3 player and 20 million using a digital camera away from the home, Britons could be in danger of becoming walking targets for opportunistic pickpockets.
 
Despite three-quarters (73%) of the UK population admitting that they struggle to go a single day without technology devices such as smartphones, laptops and MP3 players, just a third (33%) has insurance cover for their items when they are taken outside the home
 
Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: "These latest crime figures prove that as we increasingly carry around costly technology devices, thieves and pickpockets are becoming savvy to this.

"We are now more dependent on our smart phones and laptops to stay connected than ever before, yet one in five is still failing to protect them. This leaves the UK overwhelmingly exposed to the tune of £32bn on gadgets alone. As well as urging people to stay safe and not be a walking target for would-be thieves, it's also important to ensure that any prized devices are insured in case of theft or damage."
 
Keeping your property safe: advice from Halifax Home Insurance
 
1. Out of sight
 
At home keep any expensive items out of sight and locked away where possible. Smaller items such as tablets, e-readers and smartphones are relatively easy to put in a cupboard or drawer. Where possible, make sure bigger items such as flat screen televisions and audio systems can't be seen from the street so they're not advertised to would-be thieves.
 
2. On the move
 
Demand for portable items is high and they can be easily reprogrammed and resold, making them extremely attractive to thieves. Reduce your reliance on your phone, tablet or designer headphones and it will be easier to be more discreet when using these items in public.  When you're not using them, keep these valuables zipped safely in a pocket or bag. If they're being kept in the car, make sure that they're not in plain view.
 
3. Picture this
 
When you buy or receive a new, valuable device, make sure that you keep the receipts and take photographs of the item. This will help to ensure that your insurance claim is processed as quickly as possible. If you're storing this evidence electronically, make sure that it is backed up - either on an external hard drive or in cloud storage.
 
4. Password protected
 
While the value of a device might be high, the chances are that the information stored on it is even more valuable and harder to replace. Make sure that you have different passwords on all devices and wherever possible, choose the option to wipe the data if the incorrect password is entered a certain number of items.
 
5. Make your mark
 
Use an ultra violet pen to write your postcode on your valuable items to make them easier to identify.
 
For more information visit halifax.co.uk/insurance