Allstate Insurance found the amount of home burglary claims it received in 2009 was 9 percent higher than the previous year. The areas with the biggest increases of home theft were the Rio Grande Valley (55 percent) and Austin (47 percent). El Paso actually saw a decrease of 16 percent.
Texas police departments told the insurance company the items most often stolen from homes included flat screen televisions, laptops, jewelry, and cash. Criminals will often have "shopping lists" of items to take from people's homes.
Allstate agent David Christopher said that "not only do these home burglaries disrupt homeowners' lives because their valuables are stolen, but they create a potentially dangerous situation if the theft is interrupted. That's why it's so important for homeowners to take precautions because these thefts can happen anywhere."
Homeowners can protect their property by always locking up when leaving home, not publicizing their plans on a social networking site and storing their possessions in a safe, Allstate said. One of the best deterrents for a home invasion is to invest in an alarm system.
There are a number of different alarm systems to suit every homeowner's security needs.
