23/12/2004

Walnuts, chocolate money and a satsuma in a stocking; this is how many parents may remember Christmas past. But times have certainly changed with many a stocking jammed packed with the latest high-tech playground must-haves. According to the toy charts, games, robots and action figures top the list. As parents bow down to the pressure to make dreams come true it's hardly surprising that a fifth of parents have budgeted to spend over £300 just on their kids at Christmas.

Against this backdrop of spending sprees, Halifax General Insurance is advising parents not to let the festive spirit cloud their senses and to ensure that provisions are made for keeping presents out of reach, not only from curious children but also from burglars. According to Home Office statistics around 70,000 homes were burgled over the Christmas season last year. Homeowners therefore risk losing a total of more than £36 million worth of presents during the festive period.

Howard Posner, CEO of Halifax General Insurance, said, Christmas has become a time for giving in a big way. With toys becoming more advanced and certainly more expensive, it is easy for parents to underestimate the true value of their children's presents, especially if they take advantage of buy one get one free offers.

The millions of pounds worth of presents placed under trees across the country provide an easy target for burglars. Homeowners need to ensure that they have the right security measures in place and the correct cover for gifts this Christmas.

With Halifax Home Insurance there's no need to panic, as the cover provided is unlimited+ so you do not need to worry about being underinsured. So long as you know exactly what you need to replace and you've kept them up-to-date on high cost and, therefore, high risk items, there's no problem. For the more exclusive goods, the unlimited sum insured offering can be complemented with up to a £15,000 limit on specified items.

The top ten presents for kids this Christmas are:

• Trampolines (RRP £149-£299.95)
• Robosapiens (RRP £79.99)
• Tamagotchi (RRP £12.99)
• Power Rangers (RRP £6.99)
• Leapster from Leapfrog (RRP £64.99)
• Dora the Explorer (RRP £29.99)
• Bratz (flashback party) (RRP £19.99)
• Cabbage Patch Kids (RRP £19.99)
• Classic games (Buckaroo, Twister & Cluedo) (RRP £9.99-£14.99)
• V-Smile by V-Tech (RRP £49.99)

• Lock up when youre out and remove all keys. Most burglaries occur when a property is empty.
• Ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your home if you are going to be away for any length of time.
• Fit visible, key-operated window locks. Inexpensive and widely available they are an extra deterrent. Remember: do not leave the keys in the locks.
• Lights can deter a thief. Timer switches can be used to turn on lights and radios when there is no one home. An infra-red sensor that switches on when something is in range can also scare-off a would-be intruder.
• All the places you can think of to hide your spare key, the burglar has probably already thought of too. Leaving a key under a mat or flower pot is as good as leaving a door or window open do not make a thiefs job easier.
• Out of sight, out of mind. Keep valuable items (including Christmas presents) out of sight when you are not at home.
• Fit alarms they are excellent deterrents, which will often discourage burglary attempts purely because of their presence or, if activated, scare away the intruder.
• Ladders left propped against a property are an invitation to thieves store them in a secure garage or padlock them horizontally to a wall.
• Stolen goods are typically sold on for cash, so marked property is harder to sell consider etching or UV marking your postcode onto commonly stolen goods such as electrical equipment.
• If your propertys doors and windows are not secure, then neither is your house. Frames should be in good condition and the door no thinner than 44mm.
• Exterior doors should be fitted with five-lever mortice deadlocks. Consider bolts top and bottom for added security.