New research may inform home insurance policies
16 February 2010 09:07:47
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| Criminals are now more interested in iPods than DVD players. |
According to a team from the university's Department of Criminology, traditional household goods such as DVD players no longer feature at the top of most burglars' wish-lists.
This is because the original cost of such items has fallen to such a level that it is no longer worth their while to steal these possessions.
James Treadwell, who lectures in criminology at the university, explained: "Cheap labour in China has had an impact on the type of crime that's committed in the UK and the type of goods that are stolen today.
"Gradually, the price of such goods has fallen so low [that] they almost have no resale value. If you can buy a DVD player for £19.99, it's simply not worth stealing."
Mr Treadwell, who will present his findings at the British Society of Criminology conference later this year, claimed that other items are now more popular among criminals, prompting a rise in personal muggings rather than burglaries.
"While DVD players, for example, got cheaper, certain consumer items became smaller and were very, very expensive and sought-after and so the latest mobile phone or the latest iPod, which people carry about with them, have become targets for robbers," he revealed.
The findings highlight the benefits of running a home insurance comparison to find a policy that protects consumers' iPods and mobile phones, not only while they are at home, but also while they are out and about.
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