WHEN nights are long, criminal minds turn to the contents of other people’s homes: in London, burglary peaks in winter. But what to steal? Over the past few years, criminal markets have evolved, leading to dramatic changes in burglars’ targets.

“Years ago, you’d see a man in a pub selling CDs,” says Eric Phelps, a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. “Not any more.” Indeed, thefts of entertainment products like CDs and DVDs have collapsed in England and Wales, to the point that they are now taken in just 7% of all burglaries in which something is stolen (see chart). They are now targeted no more frequently than are toiletries and cigarettes.