Burglars are twice as likely to strike during the Christmas period as on normal days, the Dutch insurers association VvV said on Thursday.

At Christmas insurers have to deal with an average of 248 claims a day, compared with 126 on an ordinary day, the VvV said.

‘Half the country is away from home and joining the other half for dinner,’ said director Richard Weurding. ‘And burglars make good use of this fact.’

However, the total number of claims made because of burglary fell by 18% last year to 38,000, the third decline in as many years.

The drop is due to better policing and better home security, Weurding said. ‘For example, an increasing number of people are involved in neighbourhood watch schemes and WhatsApp groups together with their neighbours,’ he said.