Alert

Residential burglary activity heats up in the summer:

Aviva Canada is warning consumers that residential burglaries spike in the summer months when the warm weather tends to draw people away from their homes more frequently and for longer periods of time, leaving them vulnerable to thieves.

Aviva insurance claims data shows residential burglaries spike in the summer months with 13%, 20% and 31% higher frequencies in June, July and August, respectively, than in April – the month with the lowest frequency of residential theft claims.

Data also indicates break-ins are more common at the start of the weekend. The number of Friday break-ins is 26% higher than Sunday, the day with the lowest incidence of break-ins.

Overall in Canada, burglaries are on the decline. Aviva claims data shows a 42% decline in claims between 2003 and 2010.