MEDIA RELEASE FROM AAMI

Tuesday, 18 December 2007

Claremont – Tasmania’s break-in capital

As many Tasmanian families prepare to head off on a summer holiday, leading car and home insurer AAMI has revealed that Claremont is the state’s most popular location for home break-ins.

Tasmanian State Manager Paul Sofronoff said AAMI received more home theft claims from the northern suburb than any other location in the state.

“Although Claremont holds the title of Tasmania’s home break-in capital, the 10 most popular suburbs for thieves are located across metropolitan Hobart and northern regions,” Mr Sofronoff said.

“This shows that no Tasmanian home owner can afford to be complacent about implementing security measures around their home.”

Top 10 Tasmanian locations where home break-ins occur¹

Keeping safe – while you’re home and away

Mr Sofronoff said while many Tasmanians take a holiday over the summer months, AAMI research² shows 37 per cent are apprehensive or uneasy about leaving their home unattended in case of holiday break-ins.

“And it’s not that surprising that so many Tasmanians are wary about leaving their home empty while they’re away, as many are still not putting in place basic security measures that could easily reduce the opportunity for thieves to enter their home,” he said.

“AAMI’s claims data show that, across the country, the most common entry point for thieves is an external door such as the front or back door. Yet, two in five Tasmanian residents (39 per cent) admit they leave their front or back door open when they know they probably should not.

“In addition, one-third of Hobart householders (32 per cent) fail to lock deadlocks around the home when they know they should, while 23 per cent admit their window locks are not always locked when they should be.”

Prevention is better than theft

Of the Tasmanian residents who have had their home broken into, 26 per cent have experienced a home intrusion – that is, a burglary that occurs while someone is at home. “This is a frightening experience that many Tasmanians householders have been through at some time in their life,” he said.

“Additionally, almost one in ten residents (8 per cent) say they would feel safer living in a different suburb to where they live now.”

To help overcome worries about potential burglary while on holidays or at home, Mr Sofronoff recommended undertaking a few basic security measures. “Try leaving some lights on or arranging for a house-sitter,” he said. “Another common protection measure people use when they go away is to ask a friend, neighbour or cleaner to collect their mail or keep an eye on the home – and, fortunately, 84 per cent of Tasmanians say they do this.”

Mr Sofronoff said there were some common household practices that were basically like putting out a welcome mat for would-be thieves. “One in five Tasmanians (19 per cent) admitted to leaving house keys in places like under doormats and pot plants,” he said. “Doormats and pot plants at home entrances are among the first places thieves will check when trying to break into a home, but one in every five people in the state continues to do this.”

Check your insurance

Many Tasmanians are also neglecting to insure their most valuable assets and AAMI’s claims data show audiovisual equipment is the most common target for thieves – making up nearly one-third (28 per cent) of all items stolen from Tasmanian households.

“In Tasmania, theft of audiovisual equipment is followed by jewellery (23 per cent) and clothing (20 per cent),” Mr Sofronoff said. “As most of us own some or all of these items, it’s worrying that 10 per cent of Tasmanian households have no insurance for their home buildings and contents, or personal effects and valuables.

“The fact that one-third (34 per cent) of Tasmanians have experienced a break-in sometime in their lives shows that the risk of burglary is real - a home contents insurance policy provides protection, in case of this unfortunate situation, and should be updated regularly.”

Tips for keeping your home and contents secure

1. Remember the basics – it’s no good installing locks and then not using them.
2. Make sure everyone in your home is equally security conscious. Have a routine that everyone follows to check locks and switch on alarms when the house is left unoccupied.
3. Tell your neighbours if your home is broken into – then they can remember to be extra careful and report any suspicious activity to police.
4. Don’t assume balcony doors or high windows are safe to leave unlocked – thieves are good at finding ways to overcome these obstacles.
5. Store easy-to-carry, expensive items such as laptops, MP3 players and jewellery away and out of sight so thieves can’t see them – consider installing a safe.
6. Don’t leave doors or windows wide open for long periods even while you’re at home.
7. Don’t leave car keys and wallets beside open windows or doors.
8. Engage deadlocks when you leave the house so that thieves cannot carry items out through your main doors. However, never leave them locked when you are in the home as they can be a hazard in case of fire.
9. If you can’t arrange for someone to collect your mail when you’re on holiday, ask the post office to hold it until you return. Also, attach a ‘no advertising material’ sign to your letterbox so it doesn’t overflow.
10. Lock your meter box to prevent thieves tampering with your power supply.

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¹ The information is drawn from AAMI claims data recorded in 2006, and has been released to coincide with new survey findings by AAMI about home theft and security.

² The 2007 Firescreen, Car & Home Security Index was conducted for AAMI by Sweeney Research and is an independent telephone and internet survey of 2382 Australian residents in all States and Territories (except WA as AAMI does not operate there).