How To Keep Your Home Safe
No one wants to be the victim of a break in but many believe that it’s unlikely to happen to them without taking proper security measures. Take a look at our simple home security measures that will help keep your home safe. According to West Yorkshire Police, “a staggering 90 % of crime could be prevented”.
Lian Rigby from Homes Secured says “A burglar is out for one thing: to find a home that is easy to enter. If your home appears too difficult or the risk of being caught is too great, they will move on to the next house.”
“It does not take a lot to make your home appear intimidating to burglars – in fact, it’s simple common sense. Unfortunately, too many homeowners ignore these super simple security tips that could significantly reduce the likelihood their home is burgled in the future!”
“You can have all the security upgrades in the world but if you don’t use your common sense you could be the next victim! If in doubt request a FREE Home Security Survey from a professional!”
Simple Day To Day
Keep doors and windows locked, even if you live in a quiet area. You don’t want to be seen by your whole street just walking through your front door without having to unlock it first. This gives the impression you are not mindful of home security and therefore an easy target. Talk to your family about keeping your home secure, make sure children are locking doors and windows behind them.Tip* Easy fixes such as putting a wind chime or bells over your front door will immediately notify you when your front door opens, day or night.
Outside The Home
The first access for an intruder is the outside of the property, the garden, patio or perimeter. Don’t let the outside of your home look like a potential opportunity to thieves.· Make sure neighbours can see your home by trimming back tall hedges, trees and bushes.· Keep fencing below 6 foot in height to allow interrupted surveillance. Consider adding a trellis to the top of fences, making them harder to climb.· Secure garden furniture, take pictures of it or lock in a shed or garage when not in use.· Tools, Ladders and any heavy blunt instruments should be kept locked away so that they cannot be used to gain access to your home.
Keep Low Key
Don’t brag about your new expensive purchases. Whether this is in person or online, this lets people know the value of your belongings and their location. This is not a good mix, you don’t know who is looking at your online profiles and who is listening to your conversations. Your home is unlikely to be targeted if you don’t appear to be advertising your expensive belongings. It is also a good idea to register your belongings on Immobilise this is a database used by police to match recovered stolen items with their owner. You can also mark your valuable items with an ultraviolet marker pen, mark them with your postcode so they can be easily traced back to you.
Going Away
Invest in a timer that will switch on your TV, Radio and lights while you are away on holiday. Ask a trusted neighbour or family member to stop into the house daily to draw curtains, take the post in and make the home look occupied.Don’t tag yourself at the airport and save your holiday pictures for when you come back from your trip. You don’t want the internet to know that your home is empty while you’re away.
Camera & Lights
Outdoor lights with motion sensors is a must; leave these on overnight and whenever someone comes close to your home they will be under the spotlight. Use lights alongside cameras to make your home even more secure. Even though intruders may not show their face you’re going to be able to see what time they arrived, what car they came in and which direction the went. Cameras can be expensive but these small wireless cameras are reasonably priced for their effectiveness.
Doors & Window Locks
Talk to a locksmith about heavy duty locks or burglar proof locks. Deadbolts, chains and pick proof locks or reinforcing your doors strike plate. Re-enforce sliding doors by using metal bars between the moving door and the wall. Even if these measures are not 100% burglar proof they will certainly take a lot longer to get past than your average door lock. Talk to your home insurance provider about your locks to see if they are insurance approved.
Spare Keys
Don’t leave spare keys under the mat, plant pot or window sill. These are all the first point of call for gaining access to your house. Leaving out a spare without securing it is the easiest way for someone to gain access to your home without you even knowing they were inside. Use a key box with a combination. When installing, chose an inconspicuous spot behind plants, around a corner and out of sight. Don’t use the small screws it comes with; buy longer screws making it harder to remove the box from the wall or fence. We recommend Secured by design key safes, this brand is insurance approved.
Making it Hard
The whole point is to make your home hard to be targeted. Think about it from an intruder’s perspective. If someone would need to unlock a gate, scale a wall or fence, avoid your lights and cameras, tangle with your burglar proof locks and then have to contend with your alarm or your dog barking at them they are unlikely to try and break into your home.
We hope this has helped you make your home more secure and if you have any more tips please share in the comments.*These are only tips and recommendations and are not solutions to a home burglary.We have branches across Leeds including Wakefield and Wetherby.
