Break-ins spiral across the coast
NOOSA Heads and surrounds are in the top 10 Sunshine Coast suburbs to have recorded the greatest number of break-ins during 2011.
The inaugural RACQ Home Security Index showed Noosa Heads, Castaways Beach, Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach with a .72 claims per 100 policies held by RACQ Insurance policyholders.
RACQ Insurance executive communications manager Mike Sopinski said the inaugural report showed there was considerable fear of property crime across the community.
"Almost half of all the state's householders (48%) say they are concerned about leaving their home in case it is burgled," he said.
"Thieves have certainly become more brazen in the ways they are entering properties with the incidence of sneak raids on homes increasing."
The Queensland Police Service Annual Statistical Review 2010/11 showed home break-ins across the state remained a significant problem with 24,955 homes broken into during the year.
The police statistics showed 3015 homes across the North Coast police region as having been broken into.
Mr Sopinski said almost one-third (30%) of Queensland householders admitted they sometimes left their home unlocked.
"The majority of home theft is opportunistic and many householders do, unfortunately, make it easy for thieves to enter properties by not putting in place simple and basic home security measures."
Mr Sopinski said the RACQ Insurance research showed there was a marked difference in the application of basic home security between metropolitan and regional dwellers with 23% of Brisbane householders admitting they sometimes left their home unlocked compared to 37% of regional Queenslanders.
Noosa Heads Senior Sergeant Steve McReight said household break-ins were not a big problem in the Noosa region.
"The biggest problem is holiday makers coming into town and not locking their units," a spokeswoman for Sgt McReight said.
"They leave their valuables in unlocked vehicles or in a towel on the beach or simply leave their keys in very obvious places.
"We just keep telling them not to make it easy for them."
He warned residents to keep their properties secure, even when they were at home.
"If it's unsecured they can get in."
A spokeswoman for the Noosa Residents and Ratepayers Association said to date the topic of break-ins had not come up in their meetings.
She said police were a terrific source of information on the topic and at giving helpful advice to residents.
Thieves' shopping list 2011
Jewellery - rings, earrings, watches
Laptop computers
Digital cameras
Consoles and games
Cash - money orders, gift vouchers
Large screen TVs
iPods/other Apple products
