With households expected to splash out on expensive gifts this Christmas, one expert has urged people to be vigilant during the festive period.
Malcolm Tarling, spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said that the number of electronic items such as iPods, camcorders and digital TVs found in homes is likely to increase over the festive period.
These items tend to be relatively easy for thieves to steal and then sell on, Mr Tarling warned.
Mr Tarling's comments followed earlier research by LV= which found that 15 million people in the UK could be at risk of burglary by leaving their expensive possessions on display.
However, he explained that some home insurance policies "automatically" increase the sum insured over the Christmas period to take such purchases into account.
In related news, Sainsbury's Bank reported last week that the average amount already spent on Christmas is £132.42 per adult in the UK.
The firm noted that approximately 2.67 million people have already spent more than £500.




