The home invasion Mike Gibbs and family endured was an unusual one – a few valuables were taken but the thieves also raided their pantry.
Unusual also because Gibbs and his family were asleep and didn't wake, lessening the chances of violence. The thieves could have made off with two laptops and his car and keys, but left them behind. He also had insurance cover with AMI and the money was in his account days later.
However, it was still a daunting experience for Mike and wife Amy; their children (ranging from 9 to 15 years old) had trouble sleeping for some time after the incident in November at their Christchurch home.
"It could have been a lot worse," says Gibbs. "They say it was probably kids and there is a lot of youth crime in New Zealand these days. But I'm not so sure. Whoever gained entry to the house by levering up the garage door with a crowbar would have needed a lot of strength.
"Sure, it was obviously a kid who slipped through [the small gap after the garage door was crowbarred open] but whoever was on the end of that crowbar was probably not a kid."
The family were asleep as the burglars spread through their home, taking possessions. Technically a home invasion occurs when the residents are at home; burglaries are generally performed when they are not. Law enforcement agencies the world over count home invasions as more serious – because of the increased likelihood of violence between residents and invaders.
Gibbs is a light sleeper, not going to bed until very late, often about 2am. "If I'd been up late, and maybe dozing in a chair, I would have heard the garage door and would have gone to investigate. But I went to bed early that night."
If he'd been in his usual routine, that might have been enough to scare the intruders off. It could also have sparked a confrontation. Gibbs, a Salvation Army member who also works in the community, thinks the intruders had been watching the house.
After his daughter raised the alarm in the morning, they discovered a Play Station, a Nintendo, two phones and two bikes (one mountain bike and one road bike), and Amy's handbag had been taken – and so had 90 per cent of their well-stocked pantry – a whole swag of food and groceries which the family kept topped up in case of isolation because of Covid-19.
"If they'd just knocked on the door and said they'd wanted a feed, we would have obliged," says Gibbs who also counts himself "blessed" for the support he received from neighbours, friends and the Salvation Army Community Ministries, East Christchurch. "If they needed food, it's likely they need a social worker more than a corrections officer."
While the intruders may have been youngsters, that doesn't lessen the danger to those inside a home when the uninvited arrive. Youth crime rates have been soaring across the country, principally in ram raids with children as young as 10 involved in stealing and driving cars.
Burglary rates – according to police statistics and AMI's own claims records – have fallen over the past two years of lockdowns but are now increasing again.
Cases of unlawful entry, burglary, breaking and entering increased by 6386 incidents in the year ended February 2022 over the same period ending February 2021.
They most commonly occur between 1am-4am (the Gibbs' break-in happened at about 2am) and the highest incidence is at 3am on a Monday, followed by Saturday at 2am (the Gibbs' was early Sunday morning).
But if the home invasion was traumatic, the aftermath wasn't. Gibbs was very happy with the speed and helpfulness of AMI's response. He did all the right things – taking a careful note of everything missing and estimating the value.
Because he sorted everything quickly, AMI was able to respond quickly too – and the first instalment of claims payment was in his account in four days.
"I've got to say I was very happy with the way AMI handled our claim," he says. "They were speedy and caring at the same time. They even got involved when one of the items we were replacing was held up at Noel Leeming because of lack of stock – AMI rang them and made sure they knew it was priority."
The whole claim was completed after 10 days when all claims payments were transferred.