Spooky season is almost upon us, and what’s spookier than a burglar? Creeping around in the middle of the night to steal your possessions, sometimes while you’re still inside the house. After all, 59% of burglaries in the UK happen when the homeowner is in the property. And with everyone walking around in black and white striped burglar costumes, how can you possibly tell the difference? But don’t worry, we have a few tips to help you scare away burglars and make them run away like Scooby and the gang from a haunted house.
Don’t Draw Attention
Maybe our best security tip to date is to not advertise to burglars. They will often ‘case’ houses simply by walking past and looking in your windows to see what stuff you have inside. And you might be advertising your valuable possessions without even realising it! For example – do you need your computer or TV near the front window? Have lots of expensive ornaments or alcohol bottles on display? Keeping them near the window might make them look nice, but it’s not the best choice for security. Electrical items account for just over 60% of the items stolen in home burglaries, so it’s best to keep them out of eye line of a window or door. This one’s an easy fix though – just go outside and check what can be seen through each window, and then move any valuable items out of those areas.
Reinforce Side Windows
Sometimes, burglars don’t really care about being sneaky, especially if they think no one’s around. They’ll just walk around your house until they find a side window, and try to smash it. If you only have single glazing, or your double-glazed windows aren’t reinforced, then this is child’s play for them. And while insurance will pay out for the forced entry, that isn’t really the point, it is? Making sure your side windows are hidden from public view where they can be is a good start. Reinforcing them with security grilles or bars is even better. Don’t worry, your home doesn’t need to look like a prison. There are lots of different options available on the market to suit any style and aesthetic, so you can keep your home safe without worrying about ruining the décor.
Use Signs To Your Advantage
Deterring burglars is your best line of defence, and security signs are a great way to do that. Putting up CCTV signs, or notices about security measures are a hugely effective technique, and the best thing is you don’t actually have to use the methods you’re warning about! Many homeowners will hang signs and post decals stating they have CCTV cameras in place, without actually having one on the property. Some will even install decoy security cameras in obvious places as a way to further deter burglars. This method doesn’t take up a lot of time, and its budget-friendly if installing security cameras in your home isn’t plausible. They aren’t 100% foolproof, but they’re a good first step.
Invest In Smart Security
We talked recently about how smart locks and smart security are a great option for deterring burglars. This is because they are much more advanced than your standard key-in-lock system, and are much more difficult for them to crack. There’s no lock for them to pick or drill out, instead they have to try and hack a smartphone, guess a pin code or steal a remote fob. And as we’ve mentioned before, burglars are pretty lazy. If they have to go through that much effort, they’re likely to just give up and target a less protected house. Since 72% of burglaries will start with the front door, this simple step is more than enough to scare them away.
At My Locks it’s our job to help you prevent burglaries, as well as change your locks if you do experience one. Our security consultants are always happy to chat with you about the things you can do to improve your home safety, as well as different locks, bolts and security devices we can install to help. For more information, just give us a call.