How To Burglar Proof your Home – Part 2
I don’t think anyone now remembers the good old days when you used to be able to leave your front door or your windows open and know everything would be left safe. That was at least two generations ago, wasn’t it?
Statistics show that a burglary takes place every 108 seconds in the UK. That’s 34 every hour. 816 a day. 5,712 a week. 23,420 a month. 281,030 a year. In fact, burglary is the most common crime in the UK.
As shocking as these numbers are, the good news is that there are a number of preventative measures you can take to burglar-proof your home and protect your loved ones.
We’ve put together a list of tips that you can use to protect your household from the outside…
Securing Your Home on the Outside
1. Lighting
Making sure your outdoor spaces are well-lit is an effective way to deter potential criminals. A well-lit house not only indicates that there are people at home, but it also makes any suspicious activity clearly visible to you and your neighbours.
2. Street lighting
Potential criminals searching for homes to burgle will be put off by a well-lit street.
If your street lacks sufficient lighting, why not take action with the local council to push for better lighting?
3. Improve Visibility
The visibility of your property from the road or from a neighbour’s home can be vital when securing your home from the outside. If you’re not visible from the road, or the road is not visible from inside your house, you may want to think about your landscaping as a security precaution.
Overgrown shrubs and large trees can obstruct your view of the road, as well as hide certain spaces in your garden/driveway. Out-of-sight areas are the ideal spots for thieves to hide – so get rid of them!
4. Establish your boundaries
A fence or wall around your property and its land lets others know exactly where your boundaries are. It can give a stronger feeling of security for you and your home and also allows you to easily spot the difference between a trespasser and a visitor.
5. Hide expensive items
Keep expensive items away from the windows. If a potential burglar can see what they can get their hands on, your home is instantly more at risk of theft.
6. Motion detectors
Getting a home security system fitted can always bring that extra peace of mind. Today’s alarms usually come with built-in motion detectors that alert you to movement on your property (a huge deterrent)
7. Lock your doors
Locking your doors seems may seem a really obvious point to make, but many people can become complacent when it comes to latching their front door or locking up the garage.
Assuming that burglars won’t try to open the garage or break in through the front door is taking a risk too far.
8. Meet the Neighbours
Good neighbours are always a blessing. Look out for each other and keep each other notified if something doesn’t seem right.
9. Keep schtum
Be careful not to say too much about the security of your home or your holiday plans to strangers, especially on social media.
10. Be wary of service providers
If you have invited a repairman, for example, into your home, be wary of the areas of your house they have access to. Criminals can easily pose as a service provider because it gives them easy access to your home and the opportunity to unlock a window or disable a security camera. Make sure they are supervised at all times.
11. Be wary during the day
Contrary to popular belief, break-ins occur more often during the day than night, as it’s usually the time when you’re at work and the kids are at school. Always switch on the alarm system when you leave home in the morning!
As you can see, there are several opportunities to be taken when burglar proofing the outside of your home. It can’t always be avoided but putting these points in place will most certainly reduce the risks.