Wii wish you a merry Christmas

The spirit of Christmas could turn decidedly frosty this year as a new report reveals how thieves across the UK are planning their top festive season steals.

Research amongst convicted burglars by home insurance company, Zurich, reveals that many thieves eye up their own wish list of Christmas must-haves, with cash and credit cards set to top the list this year. Close behind are laptops, digital cameras, jewellery and sought-after games consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3.

Nearly eight in ten former perpetrators see the Christmas season as the perfect opportunity for home theft, with 78 per cent of ex-burglars polled stating that properties are at their most vulnerable over the festive season with householders out socialising and visiting friends and families.

The poll showed that thieves can make good money from selling on stolen goods, with 84 per cent saying they are easy to pass on because they’re new, and 82 per cent claiming that mint condition ‘hot’ goods are often sold on to new people the very same day.

While letting their hair down, homeowners are also letting their guard down when it comes to yuletide security, with lax behaviour largely to blame, say ex-lags. 84 per cent say that householders make it easy for burglars to get into their homes and 93 per cent actually leave expensive items in plain view, making them a more obvious target.

Mark Searles, Managing Director, Retail at Zurich said, “For some thieves, the festive season is like a gift on a platter. They’ve told us how Christmas and the New Year are key times for them to make the most of everyone else’s generosity, but many people just don’t think of the risk. We’ve set up http://www.merryriskmas.co.uk/ with simple tips and advice on how to protect themselves this Christmas.

“When you’re out and about over the holidays, there are simple things you can do to reduce the risk. Putting presents under the tree may look nice, but keeping them out of sight is a must to prevent opportunistic thieves. Make sure you put lights on a timer to make the home appear occupied. It’s also a good idea to check your home insurance cover as some policies, including Zurich’s, offer automatic additional cover over December and January to account for the increased value of all those new presents.”