Tips for preventing burglary

One of our worse nightmares is coming home to find a door or window open and discovering that we've been burgled.

We don’t want to scare you but, according to the most recently available figures from the Office of National Statistics, the numbers of burglaries recorded by the police in the year to June 2017 was up six per cent on the previous year. And according to police crime prevention figures, homes with no security measures are five times more likely to be burgled than those with even the simplest security measures.

Generally, we live in a safe society. Communities where we have developments are wonderful places to live, but it’s always a good idea to take precautions. Here is some advice from the Home Office on securing your home:

• Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you're just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn key).
• Hide all keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the letterbox (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox).
• Install a visual burglar alarm.
• Install good outside lighting.
• Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property.
• Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied.
• Make sure the fences around your garden are in good condition.
• Secure bikes at home by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage.
• Keep ladders and tools stored away; don't leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home.
• Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.
• Ensure rear fencing is in good repair.
• Improve natural surveillance at the front of your property, eg trim high hedges.
• Consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
• Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows.
• Store any high value items (eg, jewellery, passports) in a properly secured safe or bank vault.

If you’re off on holiday, make your home look like someone is living in it.  

• Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights and radios on when it goes dark.
• Cancel any newspaper or milk deliveries.
• Use the Royal Mail's 'keepsafe' service - they keep your mail for up to two months while you're away. Mail sitting on your doorstep is a sign that you are away.
• Trusted neighbours may be able to help you by collecting your post, opening and closing curtains and they could park their car on your driveway.
• Avoid discussing holiday plans on public social networking sites - burglars can use any information you post on there to their advantage.