Winter is traditionally a time when burglaries peak and the eye should be on home (and business) security. There are many ways that you can protect your property simply and cost effectively so here are a few tips!
- Keep all doors & windows locked, even when you’re around. It seems an obvious one but often gets ignored. Many burglars are opportunists and will try doors & windows to see if they are locked. Don’t make it easy for a criminal and keep doors locked even when you are in!
- Keep valuables out of sight. This comes back to the opportunist point above. Don’t make it an inviting prospect for a burglar to see what is available easily. Keep jewellery in a box, cars keys out of view and money/valuables in a safe. Computers/TV’s/gadgets are also a temptation so ensure that they’re out of sight when not in use (where possible).
- Invest in a decent alarm and make it obvious that you have one. Ensure that the bellbox is fitted at an obvious place on the building that is visible when looked for. Also remember to set it when you leave! If set up well, they can be zoned and viewed via an app so that you can get up to date information any time and can make a calculated decision whether the police need informed that something is happening. Eg Zone 1 tripped (front door), going into zone 2 (upstairs).
- Ensure that you have good lighting. It’s a good idea to make it as difficult as possible for burglars and a good way is to shed some light on the property. That way your property will be an unappealing prospect if it looks risky to bother with. Smart lighting triggered by motion sensors is a great way to stop burglars in their tracks as well as lighting in the property which makes it look like someones in when you aren’t.
- Keep your garages & sheds locked. Ensure that you invest in decent locks and keep garages/sheds locked up when not in use. Many garages have a lot of expensive tools and equipment (not to mention vehicles & bikes) which often isn’t covered by insurance. A decent lock/padlock and secure windows will make it difficult for criminals to get in without causing a racket.
- Think of investing in a CCTV system. Easy to use and much more affordable than before, a CCTV system can be motion triggered, have an infra red capability and can have features such as car registration plate recognition. They can be viewed from anywhere in the world using your phone and can be combined with the alarm to ensure that you can check up on your property at all times. If you do need to call the police, they will be much more inclined to attend if you have valid information that a break in is occurring.
- Don’t publish information on social media. Keep planned holiday dates to yourself, set your information to private not public and try not to publicise any large spends online which may act as an enticement to strangers who are happy to view your information.
- Don’t make key theft easy. Don’t have them on view from the windows and keep them away from front door to avoid “fishing through the letterbox”. Most cars are stolen these days by burglars breaking in and taking car keys so it’s advisable to keep them out of the way. Also avoid hiding door keys under the matt or at a “safe place” nearby. What may seem a safe place to you will be pretty obvious to an experienced house breaker.
- Keep a good relationship with your neighbours. If you get on with your neighbours, security is much easier. Let them park in an unused driveway if you’re away and a regular chat will let either of you know if anything has happened that you should be aware of.
- Review your security regularly. Think about who is coming and going and remember to chat over security with your family so they understand any issues that could arise. Check equipment and settings to ensure everything is still working the way you want it to be and keep equipment well maintained. Batteries and cabling should be checked annually along with lighting/sensor/camera positioned as weather and general changes may mean that it isn’t set up as optimally as when first installed. Call in an expert if you are unsure!
This doesn’t cover everything but should help you get your security in tip top shape. If you’re unsure of anything please just get in touch, we offer a wide range of simple security with easy to use systems and can come in and do a security review.
