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Safe and sound
How secure is your home? It's important to take steps to make sure
your valuables are safe
Having your home broken into is every homeowner's nightmare. Aside from the monetary loss of having your items stolen and getting windows and doors repaired after a break-in, the emotional upset of having strangers defiling your home is a horrific experience. So what can you do to make sure your home is as well protected as possible?
Burglary tends to be an opportunist crime. According to the Metropolitan Police, it is rare that burglaries are complex, meticulously planned crimes. A burglar will select their target based on the best opportunity to carry out the crime undetected and with the fewest number of obstacles. Therefore, a building that presents itself as unoccupied and insecure is far more likely to be targeted.
To this end, it is important that side gates or accessible windows aren't left open, garden tools aren't left out (they can be used by the burglar to force entry) and ladders certainly shouldn't be left out as they will definitely get used! High hedges and fences may seem like a good idea to preserve your privacy, but at the same time they provide a screen to prevent any neighbours or passers by spotting a crime taking place, which is often how these incidents are reported.
The first question that will go through the burglar's mind is “are the occupants in?” Signs such as milk bottles on the doorstep, newspapers and mail in the letter box, unlit houses after dark and all the windows being shut in very hot weather all tell the burglar that they are likely to be undisturbed when they break in. Timers which turn your lights on and off while you are out are a great way to make the burglar think there's someone at home. They are widely available in DIY stores and supermarkets, and are inexpensive. Another good idea is to install a burglar alarm (have a look at Defence Security's website) or spend a few pounds on a dummy box for the exterior of your house. This can easily deter a burglar when they're scouring the street for targets.
Another golden rule is to never leave a spare key concealed anywhere near the front door - burglars know all the hiding places. And do not label your house keys in case you lose them and they fall into the wrong hands. You should make sure you remove temptation too - don't keep your laptop on the windowsill, or have your plasma TV in full view of the road. You don't have to resort to fusty lace curtains, there are now many ways to obscure your windows while letting the light in such as panel curtains and window film. A few small steps can be all it takes to make sure your house doesn't become a target - that's got to be worth it.
Contact
www.met.police.uk
www.defencehome.co.uk
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