Homeowners often fail to put in to practice basic security measures over Christmas that they would generally carry out during the rest of the year, according to Direct Line .
According to research conducted by the insurance provider, up to a quarter of people keep their presents under the Christmas tree, which is the most obvious place for burglars to look for them. With the average adult estimating they will buy gifts for ten loved ones, at a total of £363, it means a total of £18,000,000 worth of presents are potentially at risk from thieves this Christmas.
Andrew Lowe, head of Direct Line home insurance, said: “People are being selective about how they spend their festive budgets, even if it means trimming gift lists and setting prudent targets for their spending.”
Last month, Direct Line revealed that items like cameras and televisions are at risk from burglars. Over six months at the start of this year, there were claims for 50 vacuum cleaners and ten fridges .
