British and Dutch homeowners feel safest in Europe, study says

Only three per cent of British people and five per cent of Dutch people believe their home is not secure against break-ins – even though the number of break-ins in both countries is higher than the European average.

The study reveals that one in five Europeans has suffered a break-in at some time, and most have then decided to upgrade their home security, with the most common response changing the lock in the external door. Other common actions include installing an intruder alarm and securing windows.

Half of all Europeans believe the number of domestic break-ins will rise in the future, with only 15 per cent expecting a fall. Interestingly, the Germans are the most pessimistic in their view of the future, and the British are the most positive. Those living in country areas also have a more negative outlook, even though their break-in rate is much less than those in urban areas.

A total of 7,000 people in seven European countries were interviewed as part of the study, which was carried out by Security Point, and international initiative by locking solutions manufacturer Assa Abloy.

“The study shows that those Europeans who feel secure in their home have a more optimistic view both of the risk of suffering a break-in themselves and of the future likelihood of break-ins in society at large,” the study’s authors said.