Criminals are increasingly targeting high net worth homes, and prefer it if the owners are in, claimed a report.
A report from Chubb said aggravated burglary was on the increase as a proportion of burglaries within the UK. It said Home Office figures showed an increase of 79% in aggravated burglaries between 1991 and 2003.
According to the report, Chubb suggested the increase was down to the introduction of better security systems, meaning burglars can only gain access to valuables with the `coerced assistance' of homeowners.
The news follows the recent murder of wealth Leeds businessman John Luper who died during a burglary at his home. In January Chelsea footballer Juan Sebastian Veron and his family were held hostage during a burglary, and last August Cilla Black's youngest son was held a knifepoint as burglars took jewellery from the family home.
According to the report, other high net-worth insurers do not concur with the Chubb findings. A spokeswoman for Norwich Union said there was no evidence from its claims figures that aggravated burglaries were on the increase.
However, it added that aggravated burglary was a problem in the high net-worth sector.
