Thieves Now Target Men for Bag Theft

Purse snatching has traditionally been a crime directed against women, but the growing use of small electronic devices by men, has increasingly made them the victims of grab and run thieves.

A bulletin on the Lloyd’s Website (www.lloyds.com) notes that “bag theft” with men as victims has grown dramatically as men carry bags with i-Pods, Blackberries and mobile phones that “can be worth more £1,000 [$1,774].”

Lloyd’s insurer Hiscox said the thefts are increasing because more and more men are “carrying gadgets and other valuable items in canvas or leather satchel-style bags, easier to carry than traditional, heavy briefcases.” Lloyd’s notes that Hiscox is “advising people to consider a home insurance policy which covers all of their possessions on an ‘all-risks worldwide basis’, so that their belongings are automatically covered when they are out and about, including business trips and travel abroad.”

According to Hiscox, the majority of man-bag thefts are likely to take place on the street or in bars and other public places, yet many standard insurance policies often don’t cover theft of belongings outside the home.

Hiscox’ Kevin Kerridge noted:”If you’re fed up of your pockets being stuffed full of all the latest gadgetry and are one of a growing tribe of men carrying a ‘man-bag’ instead, or even if you prefer to stick to the more traditional briefcase or rucksack, you need to look at the small print of your insurance policy to check whether your goods are covered when you take them out of the home.

“At Hiscox, we are seeing an increase in the number of claims from men relating to lost and stolen bags. The message is clear that these events are becoming more common and people should ensure that they have adequate cover.”