Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

This report focuses attention on the so-called ‘hot products’ that are most likely to be taken by thieves. A better understanding of which products are ‘hot’, and why, could help businesses protect themselves from theft and also the police in advising them how to do this.

Earlier research into hot spots of crime and repeat victimisation has led new thinking in the field of crime reduction, and there is every reason to expect the same from research focusing on hot products. Some strategies will centre on police work; others relate to the wider field of action covered by the Home Office Crime Reduction Programme - in particular, on product design. This report is the first to review comprehensively what is known about hot products and what further research is needed to assist policy.

Key points

• Theft is concentrated upon relatively few products
  These products share a number of common attributes in that they are generally concealable, removable, available, valuable, enjoyable and disposable. While each of these elements may be important in explaining which products are stolen, how much they are stolen may depend critically on just one attribute - the ease of disposal.

• For each kind of theft, specific items are chosen consistently by thieves
  In residential burglaries, for example, thieves are most likely to pick jewellery, video players, cash, stereos and televisions. The British Crime Survey shows that for thefts involving personal possessions, cash is more frequently stolen than anything else - followed in order by vehicle parts (even where car stereos are excluded), clothing and tools.

• Certain items are at risk of being shoplifted wherever they are sold
  These include music cassettes, cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, and certain brands of fashion items. What these goods have in common is that they are enjoyable things to own and consume.

• Which cars are most likely to be stolen depends on the purpose of the theft
  An American study found, for example, that joyriders prefer sporty models. Thieves looking for cars to sell prefer expensive luxury models. Those seeking components to sell prefer models with easily-removable, good quality, radios. The cars most frequently stolen both here and in the USA are popular cars that are several years old. It appears that these are stolen to supply demand in the used car parts market.

• Though more research is needed, relatively few hot products may account for a large proportion of thefts
  For example, research in the USA found that theft insurance claims for new cars in 1993-95 were twenty times higher for models with the worst theft record than those with the best.

Getting a copy

“Hot Products: Understanding, Anticipating And Reducing Demand For Stolen Goods” is available from the Home Office RDS website as a summary or full report (both PDF format).