Over a quarter (29%) of homeowners in London would attempt to get into a physical altercation with a burglar, according to new research released today that reveals UK attitudes towards burglary.
The study by online security retailer safe.co.uk has prompted it to launch a new online community hub where homeowners can share their less extreme security tips.
The research unearths the true extent of the emotional impact of burglary, with over a third of those affected (37%) feeling unsafe in their own home and around a fifth (19%) fearful it will happen again. Sleepless nights plague 42 per cent of burglary victims in London and 12 per cent admit their mental wellbeing was negatively affected.
With 29 per cent of homeowners willing to use physical force against a burglar, the following list reveals where London ranks amongst the UK cities where homeowners are most likely to attempt to attack unwanted intruders:
- Sheffield – 40 per cent
- Glasgow – 37 per cent
- Cardiff – 35 per cent
- Edinburgh – 34 per cent
- Nottingham – 32 per cent
- Belfast – 32 per cent
- Manchester/Liverpool/Southampton – 30 per cent
- Newcastle/London – 29 per cent
- Birmingham – 28 per cent
- Leeds/Norwich – 26 per cent
- Bristol – 24 per cent
A third (33%) of homeowners in London admit they’d try to make noise to scare the burglar away while only 14 per cent would try and get out of the house. A further 23 per cent would hide in the house and call the police.
As far as self-defence goes, 18 per cent of people in London admit to keeping a weapon in the form of a knife or air rifle in their bedroom, the highest in the UK. A further fifth (21%) keep household items such as golf clubs, brooms or heavy ornaments in the bedroom to use against intruders.
| Homeowners that keep a weapon in the bedroom (e.g. knife, air rifle) | Homeowners that keep household items in the bedroom to use as weapons (e.g. golf club, broom, heavy ornament) |
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Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk, commented: “It’s a constant battle to encourage homeowners to take home security seriously. After discovering that a high proportion of people in London would be prepared to attack a burglar in their home, we’ve launched our new online community hub to provide homeowners with a place to easily access security tips and put them into practise at home – without having to resort to extreme measures that could put them in danger.”
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