Home burglary rates see quarterly rise

Statistics from the British police force show that the number of home break-ins between October and December last year was up by four per cent, the second consecutive quarterly rise of that amount.

Home insurance price comparison site Confused.com has said that the increase in the crime is one of the negative effects of a recession and it has advised homeowners to take the necessary steps to prevent a significant loss.

Phoning the police, itemising stolen or damaged property and informing your bank if credit cards are missing are some of the things to do immediately after finding a burglary, and making sure home insurance is adequate beforehand can help, according to the website.

Darren Black, head of home insurance at Confused.com, said: Our typical customer pays as little as £4 a week for their policy, yet we estimate almost ten million households in the UK do not have any form of home insurance - it's just not worth the risk.

Home insurance provider Norwich Union recently said that the number of burglaries could be expected to rise by as much as 50 per cent during a recession.