Homeowners warned against holiday complacency

RACQ12/12/2022

RACQ and the Queensland Police Service are urging residents to safeguard their homes against theft this festive season with more than $13 million worth of property stolen from homes in the past three years.

Media Release News Grabs and Vision

RACQ Group Executive Insurance Trent Sayers said the insurer had received more than 3,400 reported claims for theft from homes in Queensland since November 2019, despite the pandemic forcing more people to spend more time at home.

“Regions with the highest frequency of home break-ins include inner Brisbane (Hamilton, West End and Norman Park), south Brisbane, Cairns, Logan and Townsville,” Mr Sayers said.

“While the pandemic resulted in a drop in break-ins, as more and more people plan to head away over the summer, now is not the time for complacency when it comes to securing our properties.

“Our research shows three quarters of Queenslanders are concerned about being broken into while away on holidays, with most (67%) taking extra home security measures.

“In addition to making sure all entry points to your home are secure, extra precautions can include having a house sitter or someone check on your property regularly, having your mail collected, leaving lights on timers, and having security cameras.

“It’s also worth rethinking what you share on social media. Our research found almost half of Queenslanders post pictures of their holiday adventures online while they're away. However, be mindful opportunistic thieves may use this information against you.”

Acting Inspector Dallas Kowald has urged the community to be vigilant when it comes to their home security as they get out and about these school holidays.

“While it is always offenders who are doing the wrong thing and choosing to commit offences, we also know there are ways that we, as individuals and as a community, can reduce opportunities for these offences to occur,” said Acting Inspector Kowald.

“Make a conscious effort to lock doors and windows prior to leaving and ensure you remove valuables, such as spare keys for any vehicles which may be kept at the property, from sight.

“Around the holiday period there tends to be an increase in online shopping, which means more parcels are delivered to homes. These parcels can be the target for offenders.

“We are encouraging residents to ensure their mail and parcels are protected from theft by collecting them in a timely manner, providing specific instructions to place the parcel in a safe location, or using secure collection points such as parcel lockers.

“Employing simple steps can reduce the chance of coming home to any unwanted surprises. We want Queenslanders to be able to have peace of mind while enjoying their well-deserved break.”

Regions with the highest frequency of RACQ home break-in claims over the past three years:

Location	Reported claims	Claim frequency	Ranking
Brisbane - Inner City	281	0.654%	1
Brisbane – South	467	0.578%	2
Cairns	185	0.508%	3
Logan/Beaudesert	343	0.399%	4
Townsville	178	0.382%	5
Brisbane - West	163	0.371%	6
Toowoomba	152	0.343%	7
Gold Coast	355	0.293%	8
Brisbane - North	184	0.277%	9
Ipswich	220	0.264%	10
Moreton Bay - South	171	0.244%	11
Fitzroy	132	0.196%	12
Moreton Bay - North	155	0.186%	13
Mackay	61	0.156%	14
Brisbane - East	127	0.144%	15
Sunshine Coast	159	0.128%	16
Wide Bay	101	0.087%	17
Queensland - Outback	4	0.060%	18
Darling Downs	11	0.054%	19

Note 1: The ranking is calculated by looking at the total number of RACQ home theft claims divided by the number of RACQ home insurance policies in each region.

Note 2: Postcode breakdown for each region available upon request.

Homeowners warned against holiday complacency

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