Clocks back temptation for thieves

Homeowners across the South West are being warned that they are more likely to become the target of thieves as the clocks go back later this week (Sunday 25 October).

As the evenings get darker earlier, regional insurance firm Cornish Mutual is reminding residents to make sure that their homes and gardens stay safe and secure this autumn and winter.

Last year the company, which serves Members across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset, dealt with more than 135 theft claims affecting homes, gardens, vehicles, machinery and farms in the region.

“There are a few simple steps that people can take to reduce the risk of crime when the clocks go back at the end of this week,” says Mitch Portman, Cornwall Business Development Manager for Cornish Mutual.

He adds: “The South West is one of the safest regions to live in and hopefully some common-sense advice will help to keep properties secure from thieves. The good news is that we have seen the number of insurance claims relating to theft fall over the last few years, but people should not be complacent.”

Bob Bunney, Force Crime Reduction Advisor for Devon and Cornwall Constabulary says: "Many burglars are opportunistic, so make sure that you keep valuables or possessions out of sight, whether it’s in the home, workplace or your vehicle. If you are affected by a break-in, it can cause a lot of inconvenience especially with the time spent sorting things out, so it makes sense to take preventative measures. It also makes sense to ‘mark’ your property and record it to deter criminals, which also has the advantage that if you are unfortunate enough to suffer crime or loss you have a record available to assist police and your insurance company if a claim is made.”

Cornish Mutual is also urging people to ensure that they have the right level of insurance cover for their home and contents. The company believes ordinary items can be easily overlooked when renewing policies including expensive garden furniture, tools in sheds, jewellery, electrical items or new gifts. The cost of replacing items in the home like CDs, DVDs, computer games, toys, laptops or sports equipment may be underestimated and could run into thousands.

Mitch says: “Insurers will often cover these, but if you’ve got something of particular value like a painting it’s worth specifying them – some policies will have limits, so our advice is to check the small print. It’s a good idea to value your contents room-by-room, itemising the most valuable items.”

Cornish Mutual, which has offices in Exeter and Truro, will cover contents inside the home up to an agreed sum insured by working in this way they tailor their insurances to suit the individual needs of their Members.

Some common-sense advice has now been issued by Cornish Mutual to reduce the risk of crime, ahead of the end of British Summer Time:

Home
Always lock valuable items away wherever possible

Invest in extra security – lights and alarms to help deter burglars

Fit external doors with 5 lever mortise deadlocks and windows will good quality locks

Use timer switches for lights to give the impression someone is home when it’s dark outside

Check all doors and windows are secure and locked if possible

Beware of bogus callers - check photo ID and call the company to verify their identity, preferably from a landline via an official listing in a telephone directory

Your Car

Don’t leave any possessions in your car – even if the items are not valuable, they could tempt a thief

Remove any satellite navigation system and holder from the car – make sure all signs of them have been removed

Leave the glove box open if possible to show there is nothing hidden away

Park in well-lit areas or use your garage, keeping it locked if you can

Don’t leave car keys near the front door, letterbox or windows – some thieves will break into your house to steal your car.

Cornish Mutual is the only general insurer based in the South West and provides a broad range of insurance cover for home and contents, property, vehicles, farms and small businesses. The company provides insurance for Members of all descriptions, living or working throughout the region’s countryside. For more information visit cornishmutual.co.uk and devon-cornwall.police.uk