How vulnerable is your home on Bonfire Night?
Aviva have found that the amount of burglaries increase by a whopping 22%1 on Bonfire Night in the UK.
Furthermore, the level of car crime and motor theft soars by 20% on the 5th of November too.
These shocking statistics suggest one thing: robbers are scoping out neighbourhoods, seeking out far more than a penny, and are attacking whilst families are out at organised Guy Fawkes events.
So, are Brits taking extra precautions to protect their homes and possessions? According to Aviva, they’re not.
The insurer’s survey discovered that a third of people do not check that their doors and windows are locked before leaving for a bonfire event and many leave their door completely unlocked when hosting their own fireworks display.
Tonight, follow these simple security measures to keep your home safe.
• Lock your front door and windows, even if you are staying home to let off fireworks in your garden
• Set your lights on a timer to come on when it gets dark
• When leaving the house, keep the TV or radio on, to make the property appear occupied
• Park cars and bikes in your garage overnight
• Don’t leave spare keys under the doormat, in a potted plant on the porch, or in any other easily accessible place
• Avoid ‘checking in’ on Facebook or other social media platforms – this information may be more public than you think and opportunistic thieves could use that knowledge to attack your home whilst you are away
1 Aviva, 2014. The bad ‘guys’ come out on Bonfire Night, sparking a 22% increase in burglaries. [Online] Available at: http://www.aviva.co.uk/news-and-guides/news-guides-home/bad-guys-come-out-bonfire-night-sparking-22-increase-burglaries/. [Accessed 5th November 2014].