Darker Nights are Coming.

Darker Nights are Coming.

I had a question put to me about domestic robberies, so I thought well I’ve highlighted retail and only mentioned a bit about domestic, but that message seems to have gotten mixed up. Well, let’s look at the facts, during the couple of years COVID-19 burglaries fell by approximately 30%. In the following year (2021) more than 267,000 burglaries were reported, so that’s one every 106 seconds.

The breakdown of when they occur 38% happen during the day, did you know that in 64% of burglaries, someone is on the property, with 47% of them impulsive. So, that’s 817 houses each day, meaning that thousands of people face the consequences of a burglary every day, including financial damage and emotional distress. The six-hour window between midnight and 6:00 a.m. is a popular time for burglars—25.8% of residential burglaries occur within this period. Late evenings are also quite popular with thieves—13.4% of break-ins occur between 22:00 and midnight.

In 64.1% of the cases, someone was at home during a residential break-in or an attempt at a home invasion in the UK. Out of those who were home during these incidents, 43% were unaware of what was happening; 11% were aware but didn’t see the offender, and 46% were aware and saw the burglar, with half (58.7%) of burglars gaining entry through the front door. Home burglary statistics for the UK also show that in one-third of burglaries, access is gained through the back door, while in only 7% of the cases, the burglar’s point of entry is at the side of the house, through a window. Surprisingly, many people leave their doors unlocked. In 1 out of 7 burglaries, the premises are entered through an unlocked door. In one-third of incidents, the lock is forced open, necessitating a costly repair.

UK burglary statistics I have found for 2021 reveal that in 7% of cases, burglars showed up at the front door and pushed aside an occupant to enter the property. So, it’s vital to exercise caution when opening your front door, fitting a spy hole, video doorbell, or at least a safety chain is the simplest to protect you. What has surprised me is that in the Greater Manchester area, it has the largest number of burglaries in the UK, with 15.9 per 1,000 households. Burglary incidents in London, however, are lower but still concerning, with 14.8 per 1,000 households, with those losses in London every year, at £181 million from London homes, with the Balham and North Finchley boroughs having an exceptionally high burglary rate at 34.8 incidents per 1,000 households. But this doesn’t mean that these boroughs are riddled with other types of crime—they’re just particularly susceptible to burglary.

The most commonly stolen items during burglaries are related to money. Wallets, purses, cash, and credit cards are stolen in 40.2% of all residential burglaries. Additionally, in one out of three burglaries, jewellery and watches are taken from the home, while in one out of four incidents, such stolen goods as computers and other electronics are taken. The effect on people following 83.5% of burglaries, victims stated that they were emotionally affected by the break-in. People experience a broad range of emotions following a burglary, including shock, anger, and nervousness. One-third of respondents said that they had difficulty sleeping afterwards because they felt vulnerable.

Time is the factor for burglars, they want to get their job done as quickly as possible. The average burglary takes less than 10 minutes—it’s no wonder why many of them go unnoticed. Burglary statistics reveal a strange fact. Each time the clocks go back one hour for Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the fall, the number of break-ins increases by one-third. Burglars count on people’s disorientation during the time change. And, unfortunately, it’s also more challenging to pinpoint the exact time the break-in occurred, with some 20% of all burglary victims don’t report the crime to the police; 59% said they believed the police wouldn’t act, while 16% were convinced that the police could do nothing. Home burglary statistics for the UK, however, show that out of those who reported the crime, 58% were visited by the police, 31% were visited within the first hour, and 13% received a phone call.

It’s been proven that burglary rates in the UK are lower among households with at least one security measure. Some 32% of households have a burglar alarm, while 40% have a security camera. People are less likely to steal from a property with visible security measures in place, but this isn’t doing much these days as I said, time is their friend, and people tend to ignore alarms only raising their heads if it has been going on for long periods, cameras well they are handy so you can see them breaking in, you can’t identify them because of the masks and by the time you have rung the police they’ve gone.

These stats show that burglary is a severe problem for UK citizens and the past year has witnessed rising rates of domestic burglaries, this unpleasant experience is still part of a harsh reality for thousands. Fortunately, there are specific measures you can take to protect your home against a home invasion in the UK so that you can sleep soundly at night.

Just this year in 2024, several high-profile house robberies have been reported across the UK. Notable incidents include:

Premier League Footballers Targeted: Alexander Isak, a Newcastle United striker, had his home broken into by thieves who stole a car that was later found abandoned. This follows a pattern of professional thieves, often referred to as "away day gangs," targeting footballers' homes when they are away for matches. Other footballers like Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, and Joelinton have similarly been victims of such robberies (The South Yorkshire Scoop).

Armed Robbery in Walsall: An armed gang raided a home in Walsall, holding an 11-year-old boy and his grandparents at gunpoint. The robbers pretended to be delivery drivers to gain entry and demanded money, gold, and jewellery. The incident was captured on the family's home CCTV, showing the robbers fleeing the scene on foot (The Independent).

Richmond Watch Dealer Robbery: Oliver White, a watch dealer, was found dead a day after being robbed in his store in Richmond. The thieves stole several expensive watches, and the incident has been linked to his subsequent death (The South Yorkshire Scoop).

These cases illustrate a troubling trend of violent and high-stakes robberies affecting various individuals across the UK.

I recommend a fog/smokescreen fitted by a professional no matter what you decide to use.

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