Study: Home Thefts Increasing
After analyzing claims data for 2004, 2005, 2006 and the first nine months of 2007, State Farm has discovered an upward trend in homeowner theft. This year alone, State Farm expects to handle more than 92,000 claims that involve a break-in and burglary. This is a 2 percent increase from the prior year.
In an effort to keep this holiday season merry, State Farm is encouraging all consumers to properly secure their homes and belongings before leaving on a family vacation.
"Would-be burglars typically target homes that appear to be vacant for the holidays," said Becky McDermeit, underwriting analyst for State Farm. “There are several ways a homeowner can make their home less appealing to a suspicious character.”
"For additional peace of mind when traveling this holiday, homeowners may want to consider adding high grade bolt-type locks, strong door frames and doors, impact resistant windows, an audible alarm system, and outdoor lighting to their holiday shopping list," McDermei said. "Sometimes a little prevention can be a good investment."
To determine the top 15 states in this study, State Farm developed a weighted average for each state and then compared it against the company national average. The results of this study identify Nevada as having the highest probability of homeowner theft in the country. However, Arizona, which is ranked fourth on this list, has seen a sharp increase in homeowner theft this year. State Farm 2007 data indicates Nevada has had 3,010 burglaries within a nine month time frame.
The states least likely to see a homeowners theft this season are South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota. The complete list of states can be found at http://www.statefarm.com.