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Silver stealers: the over-50s targeting your home

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
05/07/2018

Two over 50s are arrested for burglary every day according to new research

Almost 3,000 over 50s have been arrested on suspicion of burglary over the last three and a half years, according to Churchill Home Insurance.

This averages more than two silver stealers arrested every day.

Those in Merseyside are most at risk, with the area seeing the highest rate of arrests for burglaries by the over 50s. In fact, 10% of all burglars arrested by Merseyside Police are aged 50 or over.

Derbyshire and Dorset take second and third place in the unusual crime list.

In Hertfordshire and Surrey, more than one in 20 of those arrested on suspicion of burglary was aged over 50.

In 2016, 359 over 50s were charged with burglary across the UK and 270 of them were found guilty.

Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance, said: “It appears not all opportunistic thieves are young. In fact, with more experience under their belts, older burglars could present a greater threat than their younger counterparts. It is vital that homeowners remain vigilant and don’t discount an older individual that may be surveilling their property.

“Checking doors and windows to make sure they are secure, keeping valuables out of sight and making the property look occupied even when it isn’t are all simple things which will help deter would-be burglars and avoid the emotional and financial trauma of becoming a victim of crime.”