A home insurance firm has urged all home owners to protect themselves from burglars, as thieves start to take advantage of the long dark nights.

The company said that as we a draw nearer to changing our clocks, darker evenings mean that criminal’s lives are made easier, leading to a rise in home insurance claims due to burglaries.

The firm said that there are two main factors which have caused an increase in home theft. Firstly, the recession has forced thieves to break into properties more and secondly, the dark nights connected to autumn and winter masks the burglars.

As a result, insurers have advised home owners that there are a number of ways to protect themselves from future break-ins.

Thieves know where to look, so homeowners should never leave keys in ‘safe places’ such as under mats or flower pots, the home insurance provider warns.

Households have also been urged to keep ladders and tools locked away so that burglars cannot use them for their own means.They have also been advised to join a neighbourhood watch scheme, and if they go on holiday, to make sure they fit timer switches to the lights and ask friends or neighbours to keep an eye on the property for them.

Property owners should also keep doors and windows locked at all times, install security lights, gravel driveways, and install a burglar alarm which is always set at night and when the home is unoccupied. A dog, or even a ‘beware of the dog’ sign can be a deterrent, as can prickly bushes, high walls and spiky railings.

For those who have been unlucky enough to fall foul to a theft could prevent such an incidence from taking place again, by marking their belongings with a UV pen or etching their postcode onto metal items such as bikes, which can help the police to trace them if they are stolen.

Senior claims manager of home insurance, Martyn Foulds, said: “Most burglars are looking for an easy target, and the cover of darkness makes life simpler for them. It is not only the financial loss that we want to protect people from, but also the distress caused by knowing a stranger invaded the home. The good news is that with a few simple and cost effective measures, homeowners can greatly reduce the risk of becoming a victim.”

Home Matters

In similar news, the insurance group has launched a new scheme called ‘Home Matters.’

It is a website which offers facts and advice linking to the home in an interactive and user friendly way.

The programme is part of an ongoing project to create an engaged online community and is the first time the brand has undertaken a social media project.

The user friendly, flash animated site contains a blog and competitions encouraging consumer involvement and video vox pops and an ‘ask the expert’ element to deliver advice concerning home security and domestic accidents.

Julian Ireland, Planning Director, said “Home matters builds on our natural search work for the Halifax brand to date which has increased traffic and vastly improved Google rankings.

“By creating such a relevant, user friendly and interactive site we create a destination to engage with these visitors, establishing a rapport with both existing Halifax customers and new visitors alike looking for advice and ultimately influencing online behaviour and purchases.”