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The full moon has been associated with all sorts of witchy and paranormal folk tales over the years. So much so, that there’s even a term for the strange behaviour that occurs around a full moon; the ‘Lunar Effect’, and data obtained by insurance company NRMA Insurance has found that full moons may have more of an effect on the human psyche and behaviour than we thought.
After analysing data sourced through NRMA’s weekly insurance claims of home burglaries across NSW, ACT and Queensland from January 1, 2019 and January 31, 2020, NRMA Insurance has identified a data spike in home burglary claims during full moon periods. The latest data indicates that there is a 10% spike in burglary claims around a full moon.
“People might joke about the effects of a full moon but it’s fascinating to see the evidence in our claims data to back this up. While we can’t explain exactly why burglaries increase around a full moon, it’s important we highlight this phenomenon to raise awareness and try and reduce the number of burglaries that take place,” says NRMA Insurance Executive General Manager Claims, Luke Gallagher.
As it happens, there is a full moon predicted for tonight and tomorrow night, and NRMA Insurance is encouraging unsuspecting Australians to be more diligent and reduce their risk of being burgled by taking some simple precautions.
“There are a number of measures homeowners can take to decrease the risk of a burglary, including staying home the night of a full moon and ensuring the property has robust locks installed. In addition, keep your keys safe – they should never be left outside as burglars will use this as an opportunity.”
Other top tips to reduce the risk of burglary
- Secure your home effectively – install robust locks, alarm systems and motion-activated sensor lights
- Ensuring cash, handbags, jewellery and valuables are out of sight to reduce the temptation for a burglar to attempt entry
- Small electricals are also still on the list of must-grabs, including laptops, phones and anything that can be sold on quickly. Keep small electricals out of sight where possible
- Keep car keys out of sight. As cars are becoming increasingly harder to steal due to improved anti-theft technology, thieves will look for the keys to make it simple to drive away with the least amount of attention drawn to them
- When on holiday, use smart technology to help create the illusion you’re home, such as timed lights, radios and TVs, automated curtains or blinds, and automated doorbells which can be answered via an app
- Have a neighbour remove newspapers, mail, or flyers dropped on the property
- Always ensure you have home contents insurance if the worst does happen, and check your existing policy is up-to-date and that you are adequately insured to cover the replacement of contents
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