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Keep Homes and Packages Safe this Holiday Season

New Ring Study reveals New Zealanders aren’t taking measures to keep their homes or packages safe this holiday season


• Almost 8 in 10 (79%) of New Zealanders plan to visit family and friends this Christmas/holiday season and half (50%) plan to go on a holiday/vacation
• Close to 1 in 4 (23%) New Zealanders believe that their home is likely or extremely likely to be broken into around Christmas for presents, electronics and other valuables
• Almost 5 in 10 New Zealanders (48%) don’t have a home security system at home


Ring, the leader in home security, has released its Christmas 2017 Study, revealing that New Zealanders are not taking precautions to prevent home break-ins and package theft around the Christmas holidays.


According to the YouGov survey of over 500 New Zealanders commissioned by Ring, almost half of New Zealanders (48%) don’t have a security system at home, with those aged 25-34 (61%), more unlikely to have a security system, leaving their home vulnerable to break-ins, with locked windows and doors doing little to deter today’s thieves.


“It’s concerning that younger New Zealanders who could have a young family, are less likely to have a security system to protect them at home. With a mission to reduce crime in neighbourhoods, Ring is committed to better educating New Zealanders of the reality of not having a home security system in place, especially around the holiday season. With a variety of outdoor cameras and smart video doorbells — the newest being Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Ring Spotlight Cam — Ring offers more home security solutions in New Zealand than ever before and we will not stop working until every neighborhood burglary and theft is eliminated,” said Mark Fletcher, Ring APAC Managing Director.

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Furthermore, of the 8 in 10 New Zealanders (80%) that plan to visit family and friends this holiday season, almost half (47%) of them don’t have a home security system, and of the half (50%) of those that plan to go on a holiday/vacation 43 per cent don’t have a home security system. This should cause some concern with close to 1 in 4 (23 per) New Zealanders saying that it is likely or extremely likely that their homes will be broken into in and around Christmas.


What’s more, many New Zealanders are not considering to review their home security anytime soon. Whilst 39 per cent plan to binge watch TV/streaming service, 68 per cent plan to clean and organise their home, and 64 per cent plan to bake or cook at home this holiday season, only 13 per cent plan to review the security/condition of security systems in their home.


Aside from break-ins, New Zealanders are also not taking precautions for package theft, which has become a more common occurrence in the past few years with the boom of online Christmas sale shopping, like Black Friday. Out of the 61 per cent of New Zealanders that plan to shop for Christmas/ holiday presents online and have them delivered to their home this year, only 10 per cent have either a smart home security system or CCTV to monitor their delivery have. This means the vast majority of New Zealanders having Christmas/holiday presents delivered to their home could be easy victims for package thieves, who often follow postal workers until they make their delivery. Interestingly, 28 per cent of people planning to order Christmas presents online, already believe that they are extremely likely or likely to experience mail and package theft.


The heartbreaking crime that New Zealanders really need to look out for this December is front yard Christmas decoration theft, with delinquents impulsively grabbing cherished, outdoor decorations. From the 16 per cent of New Zealanders that plan to decorate the front yard for Christmas, close to a third (32%) believe that it is extremely likely or likely that they will experience front yard decoration theft.


To prevent break-ins and thefts this Christmas, Ring has five tips for New Zealand homeowners:


1. Eliminate hiding spots - Thick shrubbery and tall plants are great ways to provide some extra privacy for you and your home but, they also provide great hiding spots for burglars lurking in your yard. So make sure your yard is always trimmed and fully visible from the street and light up any dark spots around your yard, the Ring Floodlight Camera is a good option for this.


2. Secure Your Front Door - When given the choice between breaking a window or kicking down a door, the majority of burglars prefer to kick down doors, so If you have any exterior doors that are hollow wood, consider replacing them with a metal or solid wood door, which are much more difficult to kick down. Also think about getting a smart Video Doorbell like Ring so you can see anyone that comes to your door and deter them from breaking in or stealing a package.


3. Move your Christmas tree away from the window - Christmas trees look amazing but if you are one to put your presents out early, just make sure your Christmas tree is not easily viewable from a window as thieves often prey on homes where they can see easy items they can steal.


4. Leave a Radio or TV On - One of the best ways to prevent a home break-in is to make it seem like someone is at home, so plug in your Radio or TV to a smart plug so you can control when they turn on from your smartphone. This way you can avoid high energy bills from leaving them on 24/7 and make it not so obvious that you are away by making the times they turn on irregular.


5. Social Media Bragging - Social media oversharing could leave your home vulnerable to break-in - pictures of your getaway destination are perfect for digital-savvy thieves to see you aren’t home. Wait until you return home before talking about it on social media, and if you absolutely need to share your plans, do it with a private group of people you can trust.

ends

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