28 Jan 2013
Posted by Miriam O'Neill 
The majority of people living in this country are currently more fearful of an intruder entering their home than they were this time last year, new research published today by AA Home Insurance suggests. During the AA’s online poll of just over 9,000 people conducted earlier this month, 75% of respondents said they’re more worried of being burgled now that they were twelve months ago. A similar number, 76%, also expressed heightened concerns that a friend or family member could be targeted.
County data
The highest percentage of poll participants living in Roscommon (89%), Sligo (88%), Mayo (87%) and Laois (87%) said that they worry more these days about being the victim of burglary than this time last year. At the other end of the scale the lowest percentages were recorded among residents living in Longford (70%), Kerry (71%), Wicklow (71%) and Dublin (72%).
Views on prevention & penalization
Other areas touched on during the AA Home Insurance poll were prevention and penalization of convicted offenders. 18% of those polled said they totally disagree with the statement that Gardaí are dealing with the problem effectively, while a further 30% said they somewhat disagree. On this topic, the AA reports that many respondents expressed concerns about the reduced presence of Gardaí particularly in rural areas following the closure of a number of stations and general cutbacks.
A minority of those polled by AA Home Insurance, 7%, were in agreeance that the courts are dealing with perpetrators in an effective manner. Among the views expressed on this topic specifically were a sense that sentences are often too lenient due to overcrowding in Irish prisons and that free legal aid should be withdrawn for repeat offenders.
Participants of the AA Home Insurance poll were also quizzed on what new home security measures if any, they had recently introduced or were planning to introduce in the near future to deter burglars. Among some of the most popular were the installation of exterior security lights, timers on internal lights and alarms. 17% of those polled also stated they have or are planning to hide a weapon in their home as a means of self defense. 5% also said they had or are considering installing a panic alarm.
“There have been lots of reports over recent months about incidents of aggravated burglaries and its only natural that people are worried.” Says Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs AA Ireland. “If you are investing in extra security features make sure to notify your home insurance provider as they may well help to reduce your premiums. However be sure to use them if you declare them. If you have a reduction in place on your policy for an alarm for example but you fail to switch it on, you could unwittingly render your insurance cover partially or fully invalid.”
For a full set of burglary prevention tips from AA Home Insurance visit www.aaireland.ie/AA/Insurance/Home-Insurance/Home-Security.aspx
End
Notes to the editor;
Fig. 1A. To what extent respondents agree/disagree with the following statements (Based on 9,136 Responses collected during online poll conducted w/c 14/01/13.)
| Agree completely | Agree somewhat | Neutral | Disagree somewhat | Disagree completely | |
| I’m more worried now than I was 12 months ago about being burgled. | 42.6% | 32.4% | 15.8% | 4.9% | 4.5% |
| I’m more worried now that I was 12 months ago about a friend or relative being burgled | 43.1% | 32.9% | 16.0% | 4.2% | 3.9% |
| I believe the Garda are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 4.1% | 19.0% | 28.7% | 30.1% | 18.4% |
| I believe the courts are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 1.3% | 5.8% | 17.0% | 31.7% | 44.6% |
| I believe that homes in Ireland are safer from burglaries than those in most other countries | 2.0% | 10.3% | 41.0% | 25.3% | 21.6% |
Fig. 1B. COUNTY BY COUNTY SPLIT of respondents who said they ‘agreed completely/somewhat agreed’ with the following statements (Based on 9,136 responses collected during online poll conducted w/c 14/01/13.)
| CW96 resps. | CN 101 resps. | CE 181 resps. | C1,057 resps. | D 3.262 resps. | DL 144 resps. | G418 resps. | KY 148 resps. | KK 135 resps. | KE 866 resps. | LK 267 resps. | LH 216 resps | LD 55 resps. | |
| I’m more worried now than I was 12 months ago about being burgled. | 84% | 74% | 78% | 73% | 72% | 82% | 74% | 71% | 81% | 78% | 73% | 78% | 70% |
| I’m more worried now that I was 12 months ago about a friend or relative being burgled | 85% | 75% | 74% | 75% | 73% | 84% | 78% | 74% | 77% | 81% | 78% | 78% | 71% |
| I believe the Garda are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 26% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 24% | 22% | 25% | 25% | 32% | 18% | 25% | 26% | 31% |
| I believe the courts are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 6% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 6% |
| I believe that homes in Ireland are safer from burglaries than those in most other countries | 15% | 15% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 20% | 17% | 18% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 15% |
| LM 41 resps. | LS 115 resps. | MN 86 resps. | MH 416 resps. | MO 190 resps. | OY 110 resps. | RN 94 resps. | S 92 resps. | TN/TS 225 resps. | W 203 resps. | WH 135 resps. | WX 244 resps. | WW 422 resps. | |
| I’m more worried now than I was 12 months ago about being burgled. | 83% | 87% | 74% | 74% | 87% | 86% | 89% | 88% | 78% | 83% | 85% | 81% | 71% |
| I’m more worried now that I was 12 months ago about a friend or relative being burgled | 80% | 86% | 81% | 77% | 86% | 90% | 79% | 85% | 78% | 82% | 83% | 80% | 70% |
| I believe the Garda are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 20% | 28% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 20% | 20% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 23% | 23% | 19% |
| I believe the courts are dealing with the problem of burglaries effectively | 7% | 11% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 4% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 72% | 7% | 6% |
| I believe that homes in Ireland are safer from burglaries than those in most other countries | 18% | 11% | 9% | 9% | 14% | 9% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 10% | 13% |
Fig. 2 Which of the following have you done within recent months/are you planning to do, if any, to make your home more secure? (Based on 9,136 Responses collected during online poll conducted w/c 14/01/13.)
| Have an alarm installed | 17.7% |
| Have a monitored alarm installed | 9.7% |
| Have new exterior door locks installed (e.g. A five-lever mortice deadlock) | 16.3% |
| Have key operated window locks installed | 10.6% |
| Have exterior security lighting installed | 23.8% |
| Join a neighborhood watch scheme | 10.1% |
| Sign up to a community text alert system | 6.6% |
| Install timers on some of the internal lights in your home | 20.7% |
| Trim back some hedges/trees | 12.2% |
| Introduce padlocks to my garage/shed | 16.9% |
| Install a home safe | 7.1% |
| Install a panic button | 4.6% |
| Hide a weapon somewhere in your home | 16.9% |
| None of the above | 32.8% |
Fig. 3 Home Insurance will typically be higher in areas identified by insurers as burglary hotspots. To what extent do you believe this to be a fair system?
| Completely fair | 11.4% |
| Somewhat fair | 32.7% |
| Neutral | 14.7% |
| Somewhat unfair | 23.6% |
| Completely unfair | 17.6% |
