Home insurance customers were apparently a third less likely to be targeted by burglars in 2006 compared to last year, according to the latest figures.
Market data from financial services provider Liverpool Victoria found that the total number of homeowner's insurance claims in December 2006 was 30 per cent lower than in the same month of 2005.
The news may surprise many householders, since a number of home insurance experts warned in the run-up to December 25th that Christmas typically marks a peak time for acts of thievery, spurred on by the presence of expensive gifts around the house.
And this year saw plenty of high-value presents exchanged, ranging from new MP3 players to the latest Nintendo Wii games console.
Peter Horton, operations director of general insurance at Liverpool Victoria, suggested that burglars may also have decided to take a break over the festive period.
"It's reassuring to think that fewer people had their Christmas ruined by the trauma of burglary than in previous years," he said.
"Indeed, it may be that some burglars themselves have taken an extended break, along with millions of others."




