Dark evenings provide rich pickings for opportunist thieves

As the clocks go back on October 26th Halifax Home Insurance is reminding homeowners not to make life easy for the opportunist burglar during dark winter evenings.

Burglaries increase by around 20% during the winter months
London was the top spot for burglaries last year, followed by Leeds and Manchester
Average cost of a burglary last year was over £2,000
Take steps now to protect your property, advises Halifax Home Insurance

When the clocks go back, opportunistic burglars use the cover of darkness to target homes that are easy to break into. Halifax Home Insurance's own claims data shows that burglaries increased by 20% during the winter months last year, but there are many simple ways that can go a long way to avoiding becoming a victim.

Senior claims manager Martyn Foulds said: "We tend to see burglary claims start to rise around this time of year, and with the average burglary claim now reaching over £2,000 it is certainly worthwhile taking some simple and cost effective measures to avoid becoming an easy target. Although home insurance will cover any financial loss, some items such as family heirlooms and items of sentimental value cannot be replaced, so it's far better to avoid a burglary happening in the first place."

Valuables

Keep valuable items out of sight
Mark property with your postcode using an ultra violet pen
Keep receipts and photographs of valuable purchases as these can help if you need to make a claim
Consider installing a safe in your home for small items like credit cards, digital cameras and MP3 players
Have expensive items of jewellery valued every three years by a reputable jeweler

Locks

Fit visible, key operated window and door locks and keep them locked
Pay particular attention to windows on the ground floor
Doors that lock from the inside can be fitted with bolts for additional security
Don't risk leaving keys outside the property as burglars know where to look

Alarms

Install one in a prominent position and always set it
Remember an alarm won't stop a burglar getting in so use one in conjunction with other security measures

Gardens

High walls, railings, and trellising on fence tops can be enough to deter thieves as they slow down a quick getaway
Prickly hedges and thorny bushes around the property can also deter thieves and obscure their view of what's inside
Keep bins and ladders out of sight as these can be used to gain access to the property.

If you have been burgled

Report it to the police as soon as possible and obtain an incident number
Tell your insurer, quoting the police incident number and giving as much detail as possible about what has been taken and any damage caused to property
If the home has been left unsecured after a break in, ensure the police and your insurer are both aware of this fact.

Halifax Home Insurance offers additional Home Emergency cover, which for around £4 a month can ensure that your home is made secure following a break in, and can also help with a whole range of other domestic emergencies, from lost keys to leaking pipes and gas or electricity failures.

Being burgled causes homeowners a great deal of stress and upset, not to mention the financial loss, yet still according to the ABI (Association of British Insurers) around one in four homes has no home insurance cover at all. Halifax Home Insurance provides unlimited cover for buildings and contents, so homeowners will never be underinsured.

Top ten hotspots for burglary claims in 2007:

1) London
2) Leeds
3) Manchester
4) Harrow, Uxbridge and Wembley
5) Nottingham
6) Slough
7) Bradford
8) Bolton and Wigan
9) Solihull and South East Birmingham
10) Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth and Lichfield