With an increase in assaults and robberies on teenagers for the technology that they carry, such as iPods, MP3 players and games consoles, a new survey has revealed a worrying trend. It seems that the average teenager has approximately £665 worth of kit about their person when they go out, including electronic items, watch and clothes.

This is possibly the reason that 40% of all parents include the things their children own on their household insurance. It’s a good thing too, because a quarter of all teenagers have lost possessions in the past 12 months due to theft or carelessness.

Insurance company Allianz conducted a survey of 3,000 parents in the current climate of teenage driven crimes. Even the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has warned against teenagers carrying expensive items with them when they go out, making them obvious targets for crime.

The survey showed that teenagers tend to leave the house in approximately £225 worth of clothing, including shoes, and often carry gadgets with them such as an iPod, a mobile phone or an MP3 player.

14% of teenagers also said that they carry games consoles with them when they leave the house, such as the PSP or the Nintendo DS.

Mark Bishop from Allianz stated:

Teenagers travelling alone are still particularly vulnerable to thieves and muggers.

Leaving the house wearing expensive jewellery and using an MP3 player might attract attention but not necessarily the sort a teenager is looking for. As always, it is important-to conceal items of value when out and about.