Baby buggy theft is on the rise as new models increase in value and cash-strapped parents are buying second-hand to save money.
New research from LV= home insurance reveals that one in 14 (7%) parents with small children have had a buggy stolen, with the number of thefts increasing year on year since 2009. The most targeted brands are Maclaren, Graco, Silver Cross, Chicco and Bugaboo.
The increase in thefts can be attributed to the rising cost of buggies in recent years, with parents spending 20% more today than they did three years ago. The most popular buggies sell for £427 on average, with the more desirable brands costing over £1,000.
As the cost of buggies increases, many parents are now choosing to buy used models to save money. One in eight parents (12%) say their current model was purchased second-hand and over a third of these were bought through online auctions. In fact, one in 20 parents (5%) say they would turn a blind eye and buy a stolen buggy if the price was right. Yet by doing so parents are effectively fuelling a ‘buggy black market’ and exacerbating the problem.
Official Police data obtained by LV= reveals that buggy thefts have increased by almost a quarter since 2009 and that the problem is getting worse each year. However, 42% of parents who have had buggies stolen say they did not report the crime to the Police, therefore the number of actual thefts may be far higher than the official figures. It is estimated that nearly 340,000 parents have had a buggy stolen costing them over £70 million collectively.
According to the data available, Police in Greater Manchester reported the most thefts since 2009 with 546 stolen buggies. Northumbria (193 thefts), Lancashire (177) and Kent (176) have also been identified as other buggy theft hotspots.
The figures also reveal that most buggies are stolen from just outside the owner’s home. Nearly a quarter (24%) of those who have had a buggy stolen say it was taken from a porch, outbuilding or similar. However a significant number of thefts take place away from the home where it is harder to conceal a buggy from opportunistic thieves. Nearly a fifth (18%) have been stolen from public parks and a further 15% were taken from cafés, restaurants and pubs. One in 10 (9%) theft victims say their buggy was stolen while it was in their car and a similar number (9%) say it was taken while they were out shopping.
Modern buggies now often double up as extra storage for the parents pushing them, who frequently store handbags, purses, mobile phones and MP3 players in them[8]. One in six (16%) buggy theft victims say they also had their mobile phone stolen, while others lost their handbag (13%), purse/wallet (9%) or MP3 player (9%) when their stroller was taken.
Parents often make the mistake of thinking they are automatically covered on their home insurance for theft away from the home when this is not the case. Personal possessions cover usually needs to be added to a policy to include cover for theft away from the home, meaning parents could be left out of pocket if their buggy is taken while out and about.
John O’Roarke, Managing Director of LV= home insurance, comments: “Baby buggies have soared in value in recent years with some designer models costing as much as a small car. This, combined with the fact that they can easily be sold on to cash-strapped parents has effectively fuelled a ‘black market’. It is easy to forget about your valuables when minding a small child but parents need to take care that they don’t fall victim to opportunistic thieves and ensure they have the correct insurance in place to cover them should the worst happen.”
