Burglary will cost Britons £170m in January

While most of us might take a while to get back into the swing of things at work this month, January is in fact the busiest month for Britain’s burglars. Indeed around 26% more burglaries will occur during this month compared to the yearly average, at the phenomenal rate of one every 35 seconds.

Halifax Home Insurance estimates over 76,000 homes will be broken into during January costing a massive £170 million to homeowners.

Halifax Home Insurance attributes January’s peak in burglaries to the rise in valuables left around the home after Christmas. This, combined with darker nights and the increased lighting inside our homes - which makes it easier to assess whether someone is home - makes January a fertile period for UK burglars.

Official statistics show the majority (60%) of burglaries over the past five years occurred during the darkest hours of 6pm-6am. The majority (33%) occurred between the evening hours of 6pm-12am while a quarter (27%) during the night-time hours of 12-6am.

While most burglaries take place during darker hours, Halifax Home Insurance is urging homeowners to maintain their vigilance during the day. A surprising 40% of all burglaries over the past five years were in fact ‘daylight robberies’ taking place between 6am-6pm. The majority of these (28%) occurred during the afternoon hours of 12-6pm, making this the second most likely time for a burglar to strike. However, burglars do seem to struggle to get out of bed in the morning, as just 12% of burglaries happened between 6-12am.

According to Halifax General Insurance data, the worst hit regions for burglary in the UK during 2006 were Nottingham, London, Leeds, Enfield and Barnet, and Bradford, while the UK’s safest regions were Colchester, Bath and Shrewsbury.

Vicky Emmott, senior underwriter for Halifax Home Insurance, comments: “We tend to see a rise in burglaries during January as burglars know that it is the time when our homes are packed with lots of new and expensive items, ranging from electrical goods to jewellery. We must remember that thieves are opportunists, and will strike during the day or night if they feel a property has inadequate security and the timing is right. The fact so many burglaries take place during daylight hours shows the importance of always remaining vigilant.“