How to rob a house: What burglars searched for online as Covid lockdown ended

Prospective burglars Googled things like 'how to rob a house' and 'how to break into a window' as the UK opened back up after months of Covid lockdown.
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During a torrid year of lockdowns, the number of burglaries in the UK dropped by 24%, but as the UK opened back up and people returned to their normal lives, new data found that prospective burglars were getting ready to act and jumping online.

Smart home security specialists, SimpliSafe, analysed publicly available Google data and found that search volumes around burglary terms had increased significantly as the nation opened up following 'Freedom Day' in July, with a considerable spike in interest in August for the term “how to break into a house.”

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Some search terms saw increases as high as 50% , whilst the likes of “how to break into a window” saw the volume of searches increase by almost a fifth between July and August of this year.

Make sure your house is secure this winterMake sure your house is secure this winter
Make sure your house is secure this winter

Jonathan Wall, UK General Manager of SimpliSafe said: “It’s concerning to see these search term figures, but with restrictions easing and the darker nights looming, we may unfortunately see a consistent increase when it comes to burglaries and other crime. The fact that the monthly search volume for “how to rob a house” doubled in just one month shows how crucial it is for us not to get complacent with our home security routines, now that we’re out and about more. With more homes becoming vacant, as people make plans and go on holiday, burglars could be getting ready to strike.”