More than half of homes do not have an alarm - plus Christmas advice from Crimewatch's Sue Cook
![The recent survey found that 52 per cent of Brits do not have a house alarm.](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/legacy_ash_95991820.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![The recent survey found that 52 per cent of Brits do not have a house alarm.](/img/placeholder.png)
The recent survey found that 52 per cent of Brits do not have a house alarm.
This news comes despite the latest Crime Survey figures for England and Wales revealing that there were over 650,000 incidents of domestic burglary last year.
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Hide AdHowever the county is doing a little better than the rest of the country as 32 per cent of people living in Derbyshire do not have an house alarm.
![Sue Cook](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/legacy_ash_95991821.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Sue Cook](/img/placeholder.png)
But, it also found that your pets might be helping you get burgled as 60 per cent of residents do not set their alarm on as their pets can set them off.
Sue Cook, who was on Crimewatch UK has said that people should be more aware around Christmas as their is an increase in burglaries around the festive season.
She said: "The trouble is at Christmas we have so many things to think about. we have holidays to plan and visits to make. I think that maybe the one time we should be extra watchful is the time were we are likely to drop a few stitches and forget to turn our burglar alarm.
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Hide Ad"A burglar alarm would help because most burglars are opportunistic, if it looks too easy to break into a place you'll be in trouble,but if you have a burglar alarm and it is quite obvious there are locks a burglar will move onto an easier target."
![Sue Cook](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/legacy_ash_95991821.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Sue Cook](/img/placeholder.png)
The study carried out by Together Mutual Insurance also found that 20 per cent of people living in Derbyshire cannot be bothered to switch on their alarms.
She continued: "If you here a siren in a neighbours home or in fact your own these days we all have our mobile phones close to hand just phone the police straight away. Burglars don't like confrontation
put on some lights make a noise, they'll run.
"First of all seasonally don't put all of your Christmas presents in one place, specially if they are visible from windows, try and hide them somewhere else."