Security
RACV Staff
Posted February 28, 2023
In light of an expected rise in burglaries and break in offences, Victorians are advised to remain vigilant about burglary and home security. Here’s what burglars are looking for when they break and enter your home.
After years of declining private residential burglary, newdata from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agencyreveals that burglaries and break and enter offences increased slightly from 2021 to 2022: the first increase since 2016. Increased cost of living pressures are also expected to drive up some offences in 2023.
Victorians are urged to remain vigilant when it comes to burglaries, says Neighbourhood Watch Victoria. The community organisation has witnessed an evolution in the way burglars are going about their business, with much smaller areas – such as a specific street - becoming a crime hotspot until the offences are brought to the attention of local police and community, forcing the offenders to move onto another area.
With the average time spent on a burglary now just eight minutes according to Neighbourhood Watch Victoria, household items most likely to be stolen are those that are in clear sight, just inside an open door or window.
This small timeframe for burglary has given rise to the theft of objects categorised as CRAVED byAustralian Institute of Criminology Deputy Director Dr Rick Brown – those that are Concealable, Removable, Available, Valuable, Enjoyable and Disposable.
What burglars want most from your home
Cash
The old adage ‘cash is king’ still rings true when it comes to whatburglars want to steal from homes.
“Cash is the single most stolen item in burglaries, largely because of its liquidity and lack of traceability,” says Dr Brown. “This may escalate during the summertime, which has been the most common time for burglary to occur, because it coincides with Christmas when the need for cash may be greater and new stealable items are most abundant.”
Car keys
Over 13,000 vehicles were stolen across Victoria in 2021-22, according to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA). Many cars were stolen from driveways, garages or carports using the owner's set of keys - which are often easy to find in the home.
Dr Brown says cars “are the single most valuable item people own”, underlining their appeal to thieves. The strong appreciation in used car prices since the onset of the pandemic makes car theft even more lucrative.
Jewellery
Burglars look for jewllery items such as rings, chains and bracelets because they're small, easy to grab and conceal, and can quickly be turned into cash, says Neighbourhood Watch Victoria. Ensuring your precious jewellery is either out of sight in a locked dresser drawer or secured in a safecan help prevent its theft.
More than half of all cars stolen are done so using the car owner's keys. Image: Getty
Laptops and tablets
Portable tech items such as laptops and tablets that are light, easy to carry and quick to resell on online marketplaces are in vogue with burglars, compared to larger and heavier items like desktop computers that were in-demand in the past.
Passports
Passports are another, albeit less common item, that are burgled from homes. “Passports allow the offender to create a false identity that can be used to commit fraud,” says Dr Brown. Try keeping your passport locked away in a drawer or safe.
Mobile phones
Often left on kitchen bench tops, dining tables, bedside tables and other easy-to-see places from windows, mobile phones are easy items to steal and sell on online marketplaces. A ‘find my phone’ app installed on your mobile phone might help you track your phone down via GPS in the event it is stolen.
Online shopping orders
Neighbourhood Watch Victoria believes the growing popularity of online shopping may also be responsible for a rise in the theft of delivery items. Opportunistic thieves may follow delivery vans and grab deliveries from the front door or porch – with little idea of what they are stealing.
Delivery thefts are rising off the back of an increase in online shopping. Image: Getty
How to prevent theft in your home
Dr Brown says there aresimple precautions households can take to improve home security, while home security technologyis also effective at deterring theft.
“Make sure doors are kept locked even when you’re home, and ideally the perimeter of the property should be kept secure by keeping side gates locked too," Dr Brown says. "Products such as good door and window locks, outside security lights and alarms have all been shown to be effective, especially when used in combination."
Victorians can also learn about where their homes might be at risk of break-inby taking theHow Safe Is My Place? quiz, which generates a report with security tips tailored to your home.
Safeguard yourself in the event of theft with RACV Home Insurance.
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The information provided is general advice only. Before making anydecisionspleaseconsider your own circ*mstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and TargetMarket Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV InsuranceServices Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy soldor renewed.RACV Home Insurance is issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
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