Thieves strike one in four hotel rooms
Hotels - 11/09/2006 12:14:16
A quarter of holidaymakers have had belongings stolen from their hotel room, a new study has revealed.
And according to a survey by Direct Line Travel Insurance, around 12 per cent of British tourists have had possessions worth more than £500 stolen in the last three years, with a further 12 per cent admitting to having lost the same amount through carelessness.
Clothes seem to be the most misplaced items with 28 per cent of those polled admitting to losing a part of their wardrobe while on holiday.
However, the figures also reveal that theft abroad is less likely than at home but more expensive as thieves tend to go for items such as purses, wallets and credit cards.
Chris Price, business manager at Direct Line Travel Insurance, said: "The summer holiday is many people's largest annual purchase but it can be ruined by loss or theft.
"This can often be made worse by people being unable to replace the items upon their return home because they had not taken out travel insurance."
Another survey conducted earlier this summer revealed that more tourists than ever are using safety deposit boxes in hotels to help keep their belongings secure and to safeguard against theft.
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