Rise in Brits turning to DIY Security and dogs due to crime fears 

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

• A quarter of Brits have installed camera doorbells in past year alone, with warnings of DIY security on the rise

• Almost one in six parents of children under 18 have bought a dog in the past year due to a fear of crime

• Londoners and parents most likely to have installed DIY security in the past year 

• Liberal Democrats call for a return to community policing

A shocking new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed a rise in the number of people installing home security measures and buying dogs due to a fear of crime. 

A quarter of UK adults (24%) say they have installed a camera doorbell such as Ring DoorBell over the past year, directly as a result of fearing crime. This is up 5-percentage-points since last asked in April 2023, according to the polls. 

The poll also suggests there has also been a rise in Brits installing new locks on their doors, changing their route to work, and even buying dogs, all as a result of fearing crime. 

Parents of children under the age of 18 are significantly more likely to say they have taken DIY security measures. Staggeringly, almost one in six (14%) of these parents say they have bought a dog in the past year due to a fear of crime. This is compared to 4% of those without children under 18. 

One in three of these parents have installed a camera doorbell (35%), or have installed CCTV cameras (32%) in the past year.

Over half (54%) of those living in London have installed security measures at home, the most of all regions. One in five (19%) Londoners joined the neighbourhood watch last year, and 14% have purchased a dog due to crime fears. 

The latest Home Office revealed that in the year ending September 2023, 3 in 4 burglaries went unsolved - over 213,000 cases. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to community policing, where officers have the time and resources to focus on their local neighbourhood. 

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“Under this Conservative government we have seen the shocking rise of families and pensioners turning to DIY security, because they know the police won’t even turn up to investigate a crime.

“Community policing has been slashed to the bone in recent years, with crimes going unsolved and criminals allowed to get away scot free. Conservative Ministers should hang their heads in shame. Hardworking Brits should not be left to install CCTV and fear leaving the house at night, because Conservative Ministers have cut community police officers.

“Communities across the country are rightly furious at this government’s approach to solving crime. 

“We desperately need a return to proper community policing, where the police turn up to investigate crimes and people feel safe in their homes. Nobody trusts the Conservatives to deliver that.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

First reported by LBC here.

Full data on burglary outcomes, broken down by police force, is available here. Source: Home Office, Crime Outcomes in England and Wales, year to September 2023.

Full results here.

Methodology: Savanta interviewed 2,219 UK adults aged 18+ online between 5th and 8th April 2024. Data were weighted to be representative of the UK by age, sex, region, and social grade.

Savanta previously interviewed 2,181 UK adults aged 18+ online between 21st and 23rd April 2023.

Q1. In the last year, which of the following, if any, have you done as a result of being worried about crime in your area? Base: All respondents in April 2024 (n=2,219), All respondents in April 2023 (n=2, 181).