Summer holidays and World Cup increase opportunities for burglars.

With just two days to go before the start of the World Cup, a total of six million people in the UK will be going to pubs, bars and round to their friends to watch the games – leaving their homes empty and vulnerable to burglars. In addition, independent research from Micromark shows 60% of burglars target homes which appear empty.

The temptation to leave windows open and your house insecure in the summer is difficult to ignore, but don’t score an own goal – it can easily give a burglar the opportunity he needs.Micromark has put together a checklist to keep your house safe and secure over the World Cup period.

In addition, it is the run-up to National Home Security Week, which takes place this year from 21st – 27th August - a campaign sponsored by Micromark that attempts to educate people about the simple, affordable and effective measures they can take to protect their home and make it less attractive to potential burglars.

Micromark research among convicted burglars reveals there is a lot of work to be done:

• 60% of burglars target homes which appear empty

• 70% of burglars said they felt that people do not make their homes secure enough

• 67% of burglars would be put off burgling a house that had CCTV installed

• 33% said they target homes with no security measures

• 37% said they target homes in darkness