Minister holds 'burglary summit'

The website will offer people the chance to test their home security

The home secretary is holding a "burglary summit" later amid fears that attacks on homes will rise because of the recession.

Jacqui Smith is meeting representatives from the police, insurance firms, DIY stores and charities like Age Concern to examine ways of improving security.

She is also launching a website which will allow people to assess how well their house is protected.

Home burglaries in England and Wales started to rise at the end of 2008.

Figures show they increased by 4% between July and September, compared with the similar period in 2007.

There were 69,000 break-ins at homes in England and Wales during the three-month period - the first rise in seven years.

Burglaries of commercial premises were also up.

Announcing the summit, which will be held in central London, last month, Ms Smith said the government was "determined to stay on the front foot in keeping crime down".

"There will be a small minority of criminals who think they can take advantage in tough times. Let me tell them now, they can't and they won't," she said.

Security fund

BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said that over the last 30 years, burglary rates appeared to have peaked at times of economic hardship, like the mid-1980s and the early 1990s.

But the home secretary has insisted an increase is not inevitable and everything possible will be done to prevent it.

Ms Smith wants to stop criminals taking advantage of tough times

The summit, which will also involve Neighbourhood Watch representatives, aims to work out ways of limiting opportunities for burglars and coincides with the launch of a