Prevent Burglars from Targeting Your Home

Following these tips can dramatically reduce the chance of being burgled and having precious valuables and memories stolen from your home. Be safe and secure.

• By Richard Peat
• Mar 12, 2014

Home security is one subject where the old adage still rings true: prevention is better than the cure.

Sure, home insurance can cover you in the event of theft, but you still have to go through the hassle of submitting a claim – not to mention the psychological damage suffered. Similarly, security cameras or vandal paint can help when attempting to capture criminals after the event, but again there is distress and potential loss of possessions in the meantime.

So how can you make your home less attractive to burglars? There are some tips that we can provide that will help make your home seem less appealing. A few of these ways include:

Keeping it Locked

A lot of burglaries are the result of opportunistic thieves spotting the chance for a quick score and grabbing it.

An open door, even if you’re in the house and are bringing things in and out, is enough of an invitation for a quick-footed burglar to nip in and grab smaller valuables. Similarly, a flimsy looking door or frame can have the best locks in the world – they won’t protect your home from a swift kick or a robust shoulder charge 

Statistics show that 30% of all illegal entering of buildings occurs through a window, so this is obviously an area that needs focus. If you have sash windows at ground level, invest in strong and visible locks and dead bolts to ensure they cannot be forced open by a passing intruder. Double glazed or laminated windows are a must. Opportunists will immediately be put off by their strength, and they bring a host of other benefits, such as heat insulation, to prevent energy loss.

Nobody Home?

Leaving your home for a while? Just because your home is empty, it doesn’t have to look that way.  Security checks when you go on holiday should be a fundamental necessity for all homeowners, as many houses are targets if it is obvious the home is unoccupied for a lengthy period of time. Keep lights on and, if possible, a radio or TV. Any small valuables, such as laptops, purses, phones, tablets and more, should be well out of sight from anyone peering through the window.

Security lights might not put off hardier criminals, but the alarm they may cause passing chancers may be sufficient to scare them away.

When going away for a longer period, try to arrange for someone to park their car in your driveway or on the street outside. If they’re someone you trust, give them a key and ask them to open and close curtains at appropriate times, move mail from the doormat and generally keep an eye on the place.

Alarms and Visible Deterrents

Along with motion sensor lighting, as mentioned above, having a noticeable burglar alarm installed for your home is base-level burglary prevention. If the sight of an alarm isn’t enough to deter a would-be intruder, then its noise should be sufficient to frighten them away and alert your neighbors.

There are different types of burglar and security systems that you can purchase which will be suitable for your home. If you want to upgrade your security even more then installing CCTV is also a sure-fire way of reducing the chances of burglars stepping onto your premises. This can also be used as evidence for prosecution and your insurance.

Dogs can be beneficial as visible/audible deterrents, but selecting the right balance between noisy and aggressive can be tricky, and it’s important to ensure that home security isn’t the only reason you’re buying a dog.

Keep Your Keys Safe

This could be the most obvious advice, but it is the one that is most forgotten. As stated before, the majority of burglars are opportunists and if they have easy access to your keys then they will take them.

For this reason we advise that you don’t place your keys anywhere near your door or window of your home. If they are out of sight then it doesn’t give the thieves the opportunity for an easy break-in. We would also advise to NOT purchase any fake rocks for putting your spare key in. This goes for leaving it under a plant or the mat on your front door step as well.

Follow our advice to dramatically reduce the chance of being burgled and having precious valuables and memories stolen from your home. Be safe and secure.