Burglary is a crime, one that affects all of us in some way shape or form. If you have not been burgled yourself then chances are you know someone that has been, it’s a very sad fact that leaves us wondering how we can protect ourselves better.
The police are there to deter and prevent crime, but the problem is that they’re only notified once the deed is done and very rarely as it’s happening. Many homeowners fail to think about the consequences of not having any home security in place, especially in areas with higher crime rates. The infographic below by Glo-Bell Fire & Security shows us some quite shocking stats revolving around burglary and also includes the top 10 burglary hotspots within the UK.
Let’s start with the facts shall we? Every year there are over 1 million attempted and successful burglaries in the UK. Although the rate of burglary crime is decreasing year on year (except for 2011 which saw an increase) there are still people out there who either for personal gain or a cheap thrill who are willing to break into people’s homes. What is even worse is that the cost of burglaries has increased by more than 40% between 2010 and 2013, possibly due to the rise in gadget popularity.
A burglary happens every 40 seconds in the UK, with 73% of those gaining entry via a door. Forget all those Hollywood fables with burglars breaking back windows or climbing down a chimney, just simply leaving a door unlocked overnight can leave you with a broken home. The highest rate of burglary crime can be seen in Manchester, followed by Liverpool then London. Large cities are more at risk as there is a much denser population of people, so even though there are more eyes watching there are also more places to hide.
Physiologically speaking, 7% of victims that experienced theft outside the home were mentally harmed. However a staggering 27% were harmed after experiencing theft inside the home. It’s totally understandable, outside the home you feel safe in the knowledge that there are plenty of security cameras around and generally quite a few people. But for those who have no home security, theft is a much more chilling experience.
1 in 4 victims have had their home broken into on more than one occasion. This is one of the many reasons you should invest in home security, it’s well worth the money and can not only keep your valuables safe but also your family.