September is right around the corner – quite literally days away – which means children and young people across the country will be going back to their full-time education. For 18-year-olds, it’s especially exciting, because it means their first real taste of freedom as they move into university housing. In fairness, it’s exciting for older students too, as they will often find themselves in new accommodation – from halls of residence to privately rented flats or houses.
But did you know that students are one of the highest at-risk groups in the country when it comes to robbery and burglary? They’re often targeted for the high-value items they all have – laptops, TVs and entertainment equipment, all of which are frequently left in plain view, with little to no thought on securing them against intruders. So before you run off to uni, let us help you out with a few tips.
If You’re In Halls of Residence
Student halls are used by thousands of students every year – and the next year, a whole new round of students will come in. Now, many universities won’t bother replacing every single lock in their accommodations with new ones each year. Most just rely on getting the right number of keys back at the end of the year. Which is great, providing no one made any copies of anything.
The first thing you should do is request information on the locking systems from your university. Specifically, how key duplication is regulated and controlled. How does the university know that only you have a key to your room? For that matter, can they guarantee that your roommate’s keys, which all open the front door, don’t also open your door?
Next, consider taking the full details of any valuables and electronic items. Make up a document or spreadsheet where you keep the make and model of each item, plus the serial number and any identifying marks. This will make it easier to track and recover them if they are stolen.
A final note – keep an eye out for people ‘tailgating’ you into your halls building. This is when people come in the door with you or immediately after you. Most of the time this is harmless, but it’s also a favourite technique of burglars who pretend to be visiting someone in the building and slip in with you. They rely on the anonymity of halls of residence and the fact that lots of different people come and go. So if you don’t know them, don’t let them come in with you.
If You’re In Private Rented Accommodation
Once you’re out of your first year, students are expected to find their own accommodation in the form of privately rented flats or house shares. These present a whole different set of risks for students, and your first real test of your abilities to protect your home as you would in the adult world.
Your first step is similar to the one above. Go around checking the locks and make sure they are good quality on both the main doors to the property and the bedroom doors if relevant. The same goes for the windows – they need to have good quality locks and meet insurance requirements. While you’re walking around the property you should also be looking for any areas of weakness where someone could break in. If you find any, bring them up with your landlord and ask for them to be fixed.
Now, make sure you’re keeping your valuables out of sight. That means away from doors or windows, and preferably not on open display. When you’re not in, try to lock them in your room for extra protection.
Avoid any temptation to hide a key under the doormat or in a flowerpot, even if you have friends coming in and out. Criminals are very aware of this method, especially in student areas, and will often check these areas first. If they find one, it gives them unrestricted access to your property and possessions. Similarly, if it’s hot and you have friends coming in and out, don’t leave the doors open. It’s all too easy for a thief to take advantage of that situation. A huge proportion of student thefts are down to ‘walk ins’, where they gain access through open doors. So don’t leave them open, and remember that just because a door is shut doesn’t mean it’s locked!
Finally, if you’re like many students and go home for the holidays or during breaks, then you should make sure you bring all of your valuables with you, or at least lock them away while you’re gone. This will keep them safe, and make sure that no one takes advantage of a suddenly quiet house. If you’re not sure about the locks, doors or windows in your home, you can always ask a locksmith for help. An MLA approved locksmith – like us – will happily come over and check them, give you advice on what to say to the landlord if they need replacing, and give you some extra tips on how to keep your belongings safe at the same time. If you need help, just give us a call and we’ll be there.