CHRISTMAS GIFTS WARNING FROM THE ABI

Keep your Christmas gifts secure! The warning comes as the insurance industry dealt with claims totalling £35 million in the UK last December. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said that insurers received 23,000 burglary claims during December 2011.

Cars with gifts on view and homes left unattended during the holiday season are common targets for thieves, so make sure that you leave your vehicles and homes secure. Crowded shopping centres are also a hot spot for thieves where pick pockets and opportunist thieves operate.

The ABI urges people to lock their property securely, even when only leaving the house for a few minutes and gifts should not be left under a Christmas tree if they will be on full view from outside. Other tips included putting out empty boxes from Christmas presents on recycling collection day, not before, after binding them together as flat as possible.

“Thieves love Christmas. They know that there are plenty of easy pickings to be had this time of year,” said Malcolm Tarling, from the ABI.

“Being vigilant and taking a few common-sense precautions can ensure that you do not remember this Christmas for the wrong reasons.”