Christmas is a busy time for burglars

Check your contents insurance covers your festive purchases.

Just because it’s Christmas it doesn’t mean that burglars take a break. Chiswick police are urging residents to ensure that all doors and windows are secure when leaving their property.

Homeowners should be vigilant and ensure that they have adequate insurance and protection in place. It might be a credit crunch Christmas with sales at their lowest for 30 years but experts are still predicting total spending of £82.3 billion in the three months to January 1st with record online sales.

This means there will be thousands of pounds worth of extra goodies in homes over Christmas, and plenty of temptation for Christmas burglars. Homeowners should be extra careful and take the following simple steps.

• Don’t keep your Christmas presents in clear view through windows. Don’t make it obvious to burglars.
• Check your home contents policy to see if it offers automatic increased cover over the festive period.
• If you are buying expensive single items such as jewellery or electrical goods update your existing policy so your insurer knows you have them in the house.
• Keep receipts and proof of purchase for expensive items.
• If you are away from your home for an extended period of time, such as taking a holiday or visiting relatives, make sure that someone is able to check on your house every day or so.
• Make sure that all of your valuables are locked up and safe.

Many home contents policies automatically offer you extra cover at Christmas – but some do not. Homeowners need to be sure of exactly what they are covered for now before the festivities start.

For example, Virgin Money Home Insurance automatically increases the cover by 10% over the festive period at no extra cost. Valuables of up to £1,500 for a single item are also covered, should the item get lost or damaged.

Grant Bather, Virgin Money: “Just because it’s Christmas it doesn’t mean that burglars stop working.  We’ll still be spending and buying presents and that means potentially thousands of pounds worth of extra goodies in homes over Christmas. Homeowners should be vigilant and ensure that they have adequate insurance and protection in place.”

If you need or would like any crime prevention advice please contact the safer neighbourhoods team for your area on 0208 247 6415.  If you should see anything or anyone acting suspiciously please dial 999.