June 6th most common day for over 50s home burglaries

June 6th is the day of the year when the highest number of home burglaries are reported by Saga customers, according to analysis of theft claims data from the past decade by Saga Home Insurance.

Nearly half of all burglaries happen when a home is empty and considerably more burglaries happen during the evening or at night. June is a vulnerable time of year as many over 50s are jetting off on holidays to avoid the school holiday price hikes and going out in the evenings, taking advantage of the longer, sunnier days.

According to the Home Office, in many burglaries it takes the thief just five minutes to break in, steal property and leave, meaning its imperative to have as much security in place as possible rather than relying on eagle-eyed neighbours to raise the alarm.

Contrary to predictions that recession would increase in burglaries, the number of home theft claims made by the Saga customers has decreased by 18%. This suggests that vigilant over 50s have proactively stepped up their home security following news of a burglary crime wave set to sweep the nation earlier this year.

Andrew Goodsell, Executive Chairman, Saga Group, commented: "If people are going away for a fortnight or just popping out for the evening, they should always check their property is as safe and secure as possible. A few simple steps will put off the opportunistic thief and could save the distress of returning to a ransacked home."

Homeowners can download Saga's Guide to Home Security for top tips to protect their home at saga.co.uk/insurance/include/pdfs/home-insurance-pdfs/security_guide.pdf