Gardens could prove a popular target for burglars this summer, a home insurance company has warned as it unveils a host of basic crime-reduction tips.
Data from Halifax Home Insurance suggests that last summer saw three times as many claims for garden theft compared to wintertime - a trend that it has suggested could be repeated in 2007.
As a result, it has advised home insurance customers to ensure the security of their gardens by checking that sheds, garages and other outhouses have reliable locks in place.
And it has also proposed that homeowners consider replacing concrete and grass surfaces with gravel so that they can hear if an opportunist thief is loitering outside.
"With many people realising how much value they can add to their property by improving their gardens, there are now rich pickings for thieves and now is the time to take steps to avoid becoming the next victim," explained Halifax Home Insurance's senior manager of underwriting Vicky Emmot.
Meanwhile, another home insurance study provided clues as to what outdoor items are least popular among the UK population.
According to a survey by home insurance specialist Cornhill Direct Insurance, sprinklers, trampolines, gnomes, hot tubs and football goalposts are all among the 20 most hated outdoor items.




