In 2021 alone, there were over 267,000 burglaries in the UK, with an average of over 800 homes being broken into every single say.
Surprisingly, in more than half of these incidents, the burglar gained entry through the front door, and over a third occurred during the day.
These statistics show that the vast majority of burglaries are not carefully planned operations, but the result of opportunistic criminals roaming the streets looking for vulnerable properties.
This is a scary thought, but luckily means that by taking a few simple but highly effective safety precautions, you can massively reduce the chances of your home being targeted.
1. Don’t leave valuables in plain sight
You are looking for ways to deter burglars, not attract them, and leaving valuable items lysing around outside the front of your property or clearly visible from the road is an unnecessary risk to take.
If you have a road bike or expensive gardening equipment, make sure to store it away inside a shed or garage, if possible, rather than leaving it unattended on the front lawn.
It is also worth having a quick walk around your property during the day with the blinds and curtains open to see what valuable items are within eyesight and consider doing a minor redesign to move them into less conspicuous spots.
2. Optimise your lighting
Lighting is a major deterrent to burglars, suggesting that someone is in the property, and making it much harder for them to approach undetected.
When leaving the house consider leaving a light on or installing a timed light inside to give the illusion that someone is home.
Motion sensor lighting can also be a great way to startle and scare off those approaching your property at night and will alert you and your neighbours to their presence.
3. Install secure doors and windows
Installing double glazed doors and windows with the latest security features such as multi-point locking systems will make it much harder for intruders to gain access to your home.
Even if an intruder is not deterred by your modern security doors, it will take them MUCH longer to for their way through, giving you or your neighbours time to contact the emergency services.
Many opportunistic burglars will simply roam a neighbourhood trying doors and windows of houses that appear unoccupied hoping to get lucky, so ensure that you lock up properly every time you leave your home.
4. Don’t hide a spare key
Yes, it might be frustrating having to call a locksmith or wait for a family member to return home if you have lost your keys but hiding a spare key in a common hiding spot such as a flowerpot or under a rock could have consequences far worse than sitting around for a few hours.
Finding a spare key is any burglar’s dream, and if they have been watching your home for a while, they may have seen someone retrieve it from your hiding space.
Instead, leave your spare key with a neighbour or install a secure hidden combination lockbox.
5. Install an alarm system
Burglar alarm systems are one of the most effective measures you can take against criminals.
Installed near common entry points such as doors and windows, the motion detectors of your system will sound a loud audio warning if triggered, scaring off criminals and alerting all residents to the situation.
6. Get to know your neighbours
Close knit neighbourhoods are much less likely to see a high number of break ins.
The neighbourhood watch program is a great way to help keep everyone in your area safe and ensure that all incidents are swiftly reported but simply knowing a few of your nearest neighbours will ensure that any suspicious behaviour is spotted and dealt with.
7. Install CCTV
Visible CCTV cameras are a massive deterrent to criminals as the last thing they want is to be either caught in the act after being spotted in real-time, or later identified and prosecuted.
Even if the mere presence of Central FS CCTV cameras on your property doesn’t prevent a burglary, the footage will be invaluable to the police in finding the culprit, possibly recovering stolen goods, and acting as crucial evidence if the case goes to court.
8. Remove natural hiding spots
Overgrown shrubbery in your front garden is ideal for criminals looking to approach without detection and can act as effective hiding spots should they be detected.
By keeping your trees and plants in a manicured condition and ensuring that taller buses are kept in order to prevent dark shadows, you will eliminate the number of natural hiding spots available and make your property a much less attractive target.
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