‘Dangerous’ time of the day burglaries likely to occur in winter

Neighbourhood watch chief on the best lock for home security

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With winter on its way, it is important to be aware of burglaries and take steps to ensure the home is as safe as possible. Home security experts at ADT looked at the number of residential burglaries per 1,000 people for the year ending March 2022 in England and Wales to establish which areas are the most burgled and what are the most dangerous days and times for the crime to happen. 

According to their study, most burglaries in England and Wales take place during the week.

In fact, a total of 70 percent of all residential break-ins occurred on a weekday, with the remaining 30 percent taking place during a weekend.

The experts said this could be because many Britons tend to be at work during the week, providing criminals with an opportunity.

Glenn Amato at ADT, said: “It’s interesting to see that our research showed that most burglaries take place during the week, rather than the weekend.

“This is probably due to the fact that burglars tend to strike when the homeowners are at work and the house is empty.

“According to a study by Co-op insurance, which was carried out in 2019, Friday is the day that registers the most home break-ins, especially during the autumn period.”

The study also found that most burglaries in England and Wales tend to occur in the evening, from 6pm to midnight.

A total of 32 percent of burglaries took place during this time, while a further 26 percent took place between midnight and 6am.

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The experts said these times are the “most dangerous”. The findings also found that most burglaries happen in the dark, with a total of 58 percent occurring when there is low light.

This is often the case with burglaries because they are less likely to be seen by people passing.

Only four percent of burglaries occurring during the time period were at dawn or dusk. This is often a time when the majority of homeowners are at home.

Glenn added: “Our study found that 32 percent of burglaries took place in the evening, between 6pm and midnight. 

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“This covers the time period when thieves can act under the protection of darkness, and when victims might be out of the house or sleeping. 

“The data collected for our study also shows that break-ins are more likely to happen at dark, rather than at dusk or in the daylight. 

“Therefore, it is more likely for burglars to strike closer to midnight than to 6pm. This suggests that the most dangerous time of the day would be later in the evening, after dusk. 

“The second most dangerous time frame was found to be between midnight and 6am, in support of the fact that burglaries are more likely to take place under the cover of darkness.”

So, what steps can Britons put in place to protect their home and surroundings?

Glenn said: “Double lock and double check – one lock on the door often isn’t enough to protect the home, burglars can use their foot to check whether there is a deadlock on the door. Invest in a second lock and always double check both front and back doors are locked when leaving the house.”

Households should also think twice about leaving lights on when they leave the home. While this may signal an occupied home, it can increase the cost of bills as well as making valuable belongings more visible. The expert recommended considering using smart plugs to turn lights on only when necessary.

He added: “Make sure curtains or blinds are closed at night so that potential burglars don’t have a direct line of sight into your valuables and the layout of your home, and only leave on dim or energy saving bulbs.”

Households should also not leave a spare key hiding around their homes as this could open the home up to burglars. If a key must be kept outside, Glenn recommended keeping it in a locked key safe which requires a code.

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