"Porch Piracy", Tools, and Good Neighbours

Budget Direct has recently released their Home burglary survey & statistics for 2021. They asked 1,000 Australians about how they protect their home against home theft as well as their attitudes towards home security.

We found some surprising statistics, including: 

• 1 in 3 Aussies (32.2%) have security cameras installed on their property while 3 in 10 (27%) have a security alarm system
• As many as 2 in 5 Aussies (41.4%) still leave a spare key outside their home
• At least 1 in 10 (12.4%) Aussies say they have had packages stolen from their property
• 1 in 5 Aussies (22%) do not know whether their community has a Neighbourhood Watch program.
• More than 4 in 5 Aussies (82.5%) do not think that thieves will steal their tools from their homes

"Porch Piracy" and Package Theft

Online shopping reached an all-time high in 2020, with Australia Post recording $50.46 billion in online sales which is an increase of 57% year-on-year.

While we were ordering more goods online during COVID-19 and lockdown, Budget Direct found at least 1 in 10 Aussies (12.4%) have said they have had parcels or packages stolen from their front door. This doubles if you’re in South Australia (22.2%) and is also higher than average in Western Australia (15.5%).

Budget Direct’s Jonathan Kerr says, “To avoid having your goods stolen from your front door, make sure to take advantage of 24/7 parcel lockers near your workplace if you’re expecting a valuable delivery during the week.”

Kerr said, "Many delivery services will also notify you by text or email when your package is about to be delivered, so that you can reply if no-one will be at home to accept the delivery and arrange an alternative delivery time or location. This can be a great way to get extra peace of mind that your online orders will arrive safe and sound."

Tools

More than 4 in 5 Aussies (82.5%) do not think that thieves will steal their tools from their homes. However, ABS data shows that tools make up almost 1 in 5 (17%) goods stolen during home burglaries.

Budget Direct’s Jonathan Kerr said, “Tools are prime targets for thieves because they are worth a considerable amount of money, and often left unsecured in the garage or shed.

 Kerr said, “Tradies are particularly vulnerable because they may leave thousands of dollars worth of tools and materials in their ute. If they park their ute in the driveway at night, thieves do not even need to enter the home.”

Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch groups around Australia provide a vital link between Police and the Community. However, only 1 in 5 Aussies (22%) can confirm that their community has a Neighbourhood Watch program. 

You can find the full breakdown of the survey results at https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/home-contents-insurance/research/home-burglary-statistics.html

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature only and does not constitute personal advice. The survey was conducted by PureProfile on behalf of Budget Direct in May 2021. All figures are from this research unless stated otherwise. The survey was conducted online with a total sample size of 1,000 weighted and representative of all Australian adults (aged 18+). While Budget Direct has endeavoured to ensure the information we’ve relied on is accurate and current, we do not guarantee it and accept no liability for this information.