As many as 61% more household burglaries take place in the summer months than they do during the winter period, new research indicates.
Home insurance firm Zurich revealed that unlocked doors and open windows are being used by 22% of burglars to enter people's homes and steal items from them.
Steve Gilbert, Zurich Insurance technical underwriting manager, highlighted some of the more attractive items which burglars are choosing to steal at present.
He said: "Smaller items appear to be the most popular with burglars, such as cash, jewellery, mobile phones and MP3 players, all of which can be sold quickly in return for cash."
Basic home security measures were put in place by 77% of the households polled by Zurich that had not experienced burglaries in the past year.
The research also suggested that homes which possess basic security measures are six times less likely to be burgled than their counterparts possessing home security below a basic standard.
