Nobody wants to live in a claustrophobic environment with bars on the windows and double or triple locks on the doors. Yet a few simple precautions can make it harder for the opportune thief to break into a house.
Keeping You Home as Safe as Possible
One of the simplest ways to protect a house is key control. Do not leave a spare key under the mat or in a plant pot. Make a note of how many keys there are to the property and who has them. Never leave keys hanging on a key holder that can be reached from the letter box, even if keys are hanging a few feet from the door would-be burglars can be very ingenious with hooks and poles.
It may sound daft, but if it is practical buy a dog. Not only do they make wonderful companions, even a small dog can be a deterrent if they bark at strangers. But remember a dog is for life, not just to cover the holiday period!
Keep garage doors locked when not in use, especially if they can be used to gain access to the house or garden. Any keen gardener likes to keep shrubbery and grass well trimmed. Not only is it more attractive to look at, it minimises the amount of camouflage available to hide the would-be burglar from view, ensure shrubbery does not obscure a window as burglars could use it to conceal their presence as they attempt to gain entry.
Do not place floral trellis work near windows. Although this is usually constructed of thin, light-weight wood it can be used to scale the house in order to reach an upstairs window. Burglars have been known to use children to scale trellis work in order to gain access to a property, especially if the only access is via a small window.
Do not leave benches or tables near low level flat roofed buildings as they can be used to scale onto the flat roof and into the house. Do not leave ladders or steps outside. Place them in the garage when not in use. Not only will this minimise accidents as ladders are a great temptation for children to climb, it makes it harder for the would-be burglar to gain access via upstairs windows which are often left open. There are simple devices on the market which will allow air flow but prevent the window from being fully opened. Make sure all windows and doors are secure when the house is empty.
If the house is to be left unattended for extended periods contact the local police station and advise them of this, they may be able to ensure patrol cars or Police Community Support Officers patrol the area on a regular basis.
If you are to be away for an extended period fit timer switches on lights, radio or television. Make friends with a neighbour and ask them to come in on a daily basis to open and close the curtains. Nothing is better than a good neighbourhood watch scheme where neighbours look out for one another.
Ensure newspapers and milk deliveries are cancelled when the property is left empty for extended periods, and that post cannot be left protruding from the letterbox. Better still, ask a friendly neighbour to pick it up off the doormat when they open and close the curtains. Nothing advertises the fact that the house is empty better than post sticking out of the letterbox or milk left on the doorstep for a number of days.
Fit a deadbolt to the door and a peephole if the door is solid wood so a caller can be identified. Consider fitting a motion detection security light but ensure the setting is high enough so that it will not go on when the neighbour's cat or local fox walks past. If practicable, fit a security device or alarm system, although this may be expensive.
Most U.K. police stations have a Crime Prevention Officer who will be happy to call and give free advice to help protect a house. Having taken these few easy steps it should be possible to leave the property, happy in the knowledge that it has been made as burglar-proof as possible.
Sources
- BBC News
- Thames Valley Police
- Daily Mail
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