Age Concern got it wrong

By: John Dowling

This week Age Concern quoted Home Office figures claiming that more than 554 people in Bexhill were burgled last year.

Not so, says the head of Rother CID.

Detective Inspector Owen Poplett says the true figure for January to December 2006 was just 83 household burglaries in Bexhill.

"For the whole of Rother between those two dates it was only 243."

Referring to domestic burglaries in the town, he said: "The figure is going down. We have 'spikes' where we have a series over a couple or weeks and then it goes down after we catch someone for them."

Equally astounded by the Age Concern claim was Rother crime reduction officer Thelma Blankley.

She says: "The figure of 554 is more than twice that for the whole of Rother."

She added: "I have just checked the Sussex Police figures for burgarlies in Hastings. By coincidence, there were 554 domestic burglaries reported in Hastings for the year ending March 2007. This is perhaps where the confusion arose."

Age Concern Insurance says more than 110,000 people over the age of 65 were victims of burglary in England and Wales,

It: "Risks of being burgled generally decrease with age, however people over the age of 65 are still significantly at risk of theft.

"Forgetting to set alarms, lock windows and deadlock doors when leaving home can invalidate home insurance."

Age Concern is using Home Office statistics published last month to drive home the message about home security.

It says burglars cost the nation 2.8 billion each year and that across England and Wales, people over the age of 65 fell victim to over 110,000 burglaries last year

It says the risk of burglary increases when householders are away on holiday.

It recommends fitting automatic timer lights and asking a trusted neighbour to watch the home. "Remember to cancel milk and newspapers if you have them delivered and perhaps ask a friend or family member to remove mail from view - piles of unopened post is a sure sign that the house is empty.

"Surprisingly, in around 20 per cent of burglaries no force was used to enter the home.

"What's more, leaving windows and doors open or unlocked when going on holiday or in the heat of the summer, not only acts as an invitation into your home for opportunist burglars, but could also invalidate your home insurance policy."

Profits generated by Age Concern Insurance Services go directly to local and national Age Concern charities, raising additional funds for support services such as day centres, home visits and transportation as well as helping the national charity campaign for the well-being and rights of older people.