Crime conscious neighbours confront criminals

Almost 630,000 people risked their own safety by confronting a law-breaker in their neighbourhood last year.

New research from Halifax Home Insurance reveals the key role that security-conscious citizens can play in driving down crime rates - and suggests that some may be going too far and putting their own safety in jeopardy.

According to the figures, neighbour watchfulness reduced crime and anti-social behaviour by nearly a third (29 per cent), with more than 215,000 arrests made as a direct result of neighbour intervention.

The most effective actions include reporting suspicious or criminal behaviour to the police (39 per cent of cases) or calling the homeowner directly to inform them about unusual activity (16 per cent).

However, some homeowners opt to go further and take direct action against criminals, something which the police and the insurer strongly advise against.

Almost 630,000 people confronted a law-breaker face-to-face last year and a further 800,000 tried to scare a criminal away rather than calling the police.

Sensible neighbourly actions can help to prevent a litany of crimes including burglary and break-ins (36 per cent), theft from gardens (19 per cent), break-ins to parked cars (16 per cent) and vandalism or criminal damage to property (14 per cent).

Neighbour alertness does not only prevent distress and ensure peace of mind - it is also financially rewarding. Halifax has calculated that this community-mindedness is saving Britons and the insurance industry as much as £2.8 billion a year.

However the insurer strongly advises homeowners against risking their lives by taking direct action rather than calling the authorities.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance comments: "There is no doubt that looking out for your neighbours prevents crime and helps to build safer and more cohesive communities. It also saves millions of pounds every year.

"However, there is a fine line between intervening and risking your own safety and we would urge homeowners to report anything suspicious to the professionals and leave it to them to take direct action."

Neighbour vigilance has the greatest impact in big cities, with Manchester, London and Bradford topping the list for security-conscious homeowners.

And the study also suggests that older citizens tend to be more community-minded, with over 55s considerably more likely to act on crime than those aged under 35.