Cereal boxes, packets of pasta and toy boxes are the best places to hide valuables in your home, a panel of former burglars have revealed.
Sharing tips on how to keep your home safe and prevent burglary when on holiday, ex-offenders say Brits unsuccessfully try to hide their valuables in living room drawers and dressers, pots and pans and locked safes, which are not secured to the floor or wall.
Instead, they advised homeowners to hide anything of value in children’s bedrooms – which many burglars rule a no-go area – and under sofas.
The research was carried out by John Lewis Home Insurance via surveys and interviews with the help of St Giles Trust, which put the insurer in touch with six reformed former offenders with convictions for burglary.
A third of those questioned said during a break-in they would target identity documents including passports, driving licences, credit card and bank statements because of 'the value associated with them'.
The research revealed that burglars can spend up to two months watching a house before burgling it – but would spend as little as five minutes inside before fleeing.
One former burglar said he targeted homes between 4pm to 5pm during the ‘school run’ when many houses were empty. Others chose night time, with one saying he’s prime time was 3am when most people were asleep.
Dr Claire Nee, Director of the International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology at Portsmouth University, has interviewed hundreds of burglars to analyse patterns in offending. ‘Identity documents are very valuable at the minute due to identity theft for fraud and people trafficking,’ she says. ‘We also know from both our research and criminal statistics that burglars are going for small, valuable items –jewellery, electronics and cash.’
Household thefts can leave people emotionally affected, feeling vulnerable, and living with fear and with depression. Hopefully, by taking a few small steps, homeowners can reduce the chance of falling victim and have peace of mind.
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