Robbery is rife: 1.7 million Aussies have had a car, home or belongings burgled
A concerning number of Australians have fallen victim to a property offence in the last year, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,062 respondents revealed almost 1 in 10 (8%) Australians – equivalent to 1.7 million people – have experienced a property crime in the past 12 months.
The research shows 3% of Australians had their home broken into, while 3% have had personal belongings stolen.
A further 3% have had their car broken into or stolen in the past year.
Tim Bennett, insurance expert at Finder, said property crimes were widespread in Australia.
"A worrying number of Aussies have been burglarised over the past year, myself included – a pair of thieves broke into my garage and stole my bicycle a few months back.
"Incidents of robbery are very unnerving and can leave homeowners and car owners feeling anxious and violated."
Finder's research found just 64% of property crime victims say they submitted an insurance claim for the losses they suffered.
That means more than 1 in 3 (36%) offences go unclaimed on insurance – an estimated 601,000 Australians left footing the bill.
Bennett said the incidence of property crimes increase during times of economic stress.
"Unfortunately these sorts of crimes are more prevalent during tough times which means if you've been the victim of a recent crime you certainly aren't alone.
"That's cold comfort for households who are struggling with living expenses having to endure loss and inconvenience."
Bennett said prevention and protection were the biggest buffers against theft, burglary and robbery.
"Keep valuable items away from public view and install extra security to deter thieves.
"A good home insurance policy can cover you from any unfortunate loss and limit financial hardship caused by a robbery or theft."
| Have you been the victim of a property crime (i.e. your property is stolen or damaged) in the past 12 months? | |
|---|---|
| Yes, my home was broken into | 3% |
| Yes, my bag and/or personal belongings were stolen | 3% |
| Yes, my car was broken into or stolen | 3% |
| No, I have not been a victim of a property crime in the past 12 months | 92% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,062 respondents, June 2024. Respondents could select all that apply. |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,062 respondents from June 2024.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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