Understanding Burglary: Know Your Enemy, Stay Safe
In the UK a burglary takes place approximately every two minutes, meaning it’s easy to see why home security is an important issue for UK homeowners. A burglary doesn’t only result in the loss of expensive, sentimental and often irreplaceable items, but statistics show that the crime frequently has a long-lasting effect on the victim too.
Burglary is currently classed as a ‘property crime’, which is defined as ‘the taking of money or property, and does not involve force or threat of force against a victim.’ However even when no physical threat or risk of violence is present, burglary can still have a significant impact that extends far further than property loss.
Following a burglary, one third of victims admit to feeling scared or anxious for more than four subsequent months. Many victims also cite experiencing increased fear of becoming victim to another crime, while many never truly recover from the feeling of being vulnerable in their own home.
October is National Home Security Month; an initiative aimed towards raising more awareness of the importance of security in the home, and helping people make their homes more secure, especially in the run up to Christmas.
In line with this, we’ve put together an infographic that looks at, amongst other things, the mindset of the burglar, the impact on victims, and of course, tips to help you keep your property safe.
