Burglary
When the clocks go back
It might still be summer and the time for barbeques, but those light nights are getting shorter every day and before you know it, the clocks will go back and you’ll be coming home from work in the dark. This article looks at the increased risk of burglary at that time of year, gives some information on what can be done to alleviate the risk in lighting terms, and some suggestions for crime reduction practitioners who wish to take action.
So what does this mean in crime reduction terms?
Well, many practitioners believe there is a direct correlation between the winter nights and increases in burglary. It's easier to see who’s not at home when all the other houses are lit up like Blackpool illuminations! Whilst this increase could also be affected by particular localities, offenders with very set operating patterns, or just an increase in opportunity, dark nights are likely to be a factor in the increase in burglary at this time of year.
We don’t want to depress anyone, but August is probably the time to think about the impact of darker nights if you are to set anything in motion to try to reduce any crime increase attributable to the clocks going back.
Do burglaries really increase in winter?
Official recorded crime statistics do suggest an increase in domestic burglaries for two quarters of the year – and not surprisingly, these are the coldest darkest months.
Recorded Crime England and Wales
|
Period* |
Burglary in a Dwelling |
|
Apr – June 1999 |
107185 |
|
Jul – Sept 1999 |
106901 |
|
Oct – Dec 1999 |
114283 |
|
Jan – Mar 2000 |
114232 |
|
Apr – June 2000 |
95204 |
|
Jul – Sep 2000 |
93656 |
|
Oct – Dec 2000 |
105666 |
|
Jan – Mar 2001 |
108457 |
Source: Home Office Research Development and Statistics
* Not all burglaries take place in the same quarter they are recorded.
Analysis of domestic burglary data taken from the British Crime Survey in 1998 highlights the fact that, although many burglaries take place during daylight hours, around 60 per
cent occur during the hours of darkness (including dawn/dusk). More attempted burglaries take place in darkness (Burglary
of Domestic Dwellings: findings from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 4/99 
PDF 422 Kb). There are
no national figures to show that burglaries increase over the Christmas holiday period, although this is another widely held belief.
What can we do about it?
In some areas, the increase in burglary will be noticeably higher than the national increase, which would point to a need for action – winter can be depressing enough without adding a burglary to the list.
From local crime statistics and crime audits, it should be possible to determine the nature of the problem. Problem solving can only work if you can define the problem and look at each aspect. It might only be a small factor that there are no lights on in the home. Other wider possibilities include:
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an increase in burglary because of an increase in drugs abuse locally
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young “at risk of criminality” members of the community have nothing to do when the nights draw in – whereas they were able to amuse themselves outside in the summer
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the arrival of a student population with saleable property?
The possibilities are endless and usually locally determined.
This will of course mean a high level of cooperation on all fronts – what is the police intelligence saying about offenders, what can probation say about offender attitudes, what
are the victims saying? Is it certain areas, certain types of housing or certain target groups (students, single parents etc) or a combination? Should we put resources into reducing
burglary for a specific group or not? Some recent findings from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate may shed further light on these points. Burglary:
practice messages from the British Crime Survey Briefing Note 5/01 July 2001 PDF 59 Kb, discusses households at risk, repeat victimisation,
how burglars gain entry and the effectiveness of security devices.
Before you switch on…
A street full of mini Blackpools will add to the light pollution and use a great deal of energy unnecessarily. Use of lighting has to be sensitive and reasonable – why use 500 watts when 16 watts will do? A lower wattage makes sure that, even when a light is left on for long periods, it uses less power and therefore costs less to run. High efficiency, low energy lighting ensures that energy is not wasted and is affordable for those on lower incomes.
Electricity suppliers have in the past provided discounted or free compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) for domestic customers as part of their energy conservation programmes. Under the Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance (EESOPs), scheme operated since 1994, they have been obliged to spend around £1 per domestic customer on energy efficiency measures. Under proposals released in August 2001, the EESOPs scheme will be replaced by the Energy Efficiency Commitment 2002-2005 which will apply to electricity and gas suppliers. Each supplier will be obliged to achieve fuel-weighted energy benefits in energy terms rather than an amount spent per customer.
The proposals suggest that energy suppliers should focus at least 50% of their obligated energy savings on householders in receipt of income or disability benefits. This continues the emphasis on low income consumers which was a feature of the EESOP programmes. There are some 7.5 million customers in this target group.
These proposals, Energy Efficiency Commitment 2002 – 2005: consultation proposals, have been set out by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and will come into being in April 2002. Measures proposed include some 26 million CFLs provided to customers with supplier contributions to their cost.
The open energy supply market means that not only do customers have a choice of supplier, crime reduction practitioners may have to contact a number of companies to link up in terms of energy efficiency and crime prevention advice. Some companies now supply energy on a national basis rather than a regional basis, so customers in your area may be paying their bills to a company many miles away. This is more complicated, but allows you to contact other companies if the local one is not interested in a joint project.
Security lighting or general security?
The clocks going back gives an understandable impetus to promote the use of lights to suggest that someone is at home and to increase the chance of a burglar being seen. However, lighting on its own will not deter a criminal if there are other security weaknesses evident. General home security is vital and improvements should be encouraged now, before winter sets in and they get delayed until next year.
The Home Office Crime Reduction College has published a booklet called Home Security: an introduction to domestic surveying which aims to help individuals carry out security surveys on domestic properties and give basic crime reduction advice. For more details click here.
External or internal lights?
There is a case to be made for both types of lighting. Setting timers for lights inside the house can make it look occupied, deterring the opportunist from trying to break in, whereas external lights welcome genuine visitors and should inhibit the criminal who wishes to work unseen. Both uses need to consider the cost and environmental impact.
Lights on in the house need to give the impression that someone is in, so leaving only a hall or landing light on is not good enough – after all, how many of us spend our evenings sitting on the stairs? Usually a living room and a bedroom light on timer switch will give a good impression of occupancy. It is generally agreed that curtains need to be closed so that lights coming on do not make it easier to see what is available to steal in a room that evidently has no occupants. This does mean leaving curtains closed during the day, unless you have a friendly neighbour. There are houses that have all the labour saving devices to overcome this problem: the automatic curtain drawing device and lighting circuits on automatic control, but as most of us use hand power, we need to think ahead and set timers for suitable hours.
We should use high efficiency lighting where possible, especially in rooms where lights are used for the longest periods. Some people do not like the slight delay between flicking the light switch and the light reaching its full brightness, but CFLs have been shown to cost much less to run, giving savings in electricity bills, and don't need to be replaced so frequently. This form of light usage is likely to be the target of the energy suppliers in reducing electricity consumption.
Many homes already have passive infra-red (PIR) controlled tungsten halogen floodlights. This is unfortunate as in many locations this is an inappropriate form of lighting.
PIR-controlled floodlights only illuminate when a criminal has picked a house and crossed its boundaries, so cannot deter criminals when they are selecting a house. They also emit a harsh, intrusive light that is often a serious nuisance to neighbours and they are extremely energy inefficient.
For more detailed information on the appropriateness of PIR controlled floodlights click here.
Using low wattage lighting controlled by a photo-electric cell (dusk to dawn sensor) provides a more constant level of illumination with fewer shadows and in a more environmentally friendly way, that costs little to run. However, it should be noted that if the area lit is not overlooked, then the only benefit is in practical terms for the householder; there is little security benefit to be gained.
Initiative ideas
Although not subject to rigorous evaluation, over the years a number of ideas have been tried by various forces in conjunction with local companies or electricity suppliers:
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Homes that are unoccupied and in darkness may receive a note or card delivered by a patrolling officer or Neighbourhood Watch coordinator warning the householder that they are at increasing the risk of burglary and suggesting measures that can be taken to alleviate the risk.
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Reminders to coincide with the clocks going back have been delivered via DIY stores, Neighbourhood Watch, at commuter points, within or as cover wraps of local newspapers in the week before the clocks go back.
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Discounts for lighting timer devices have been arranged with local DIY/hardware retailers on production of an advice leaflet. In one case, take up of this offer was higher in smaller retailers or where a letter had been delivered with the leaflet.
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Discounted or free low energy light bulbs have been arranged with energy suppliers, sometimes targeting specific high crime/low income estates. This has a social benefit in that even if crime is not noticeably reduced, householders still benefit from reduced energy costs.
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Local energy advice centres provide energy saving tips alongside crime prevention advice to coincide with increased fuel usage during the winter months.
Last update: 27/08/03