As experts in burglary prevention and home security we want to ensure our customers are informed on how best to protect themselves and their property against a break-in. Your belongings may mean a lot to you but to an intruder they’re just a way of making quick and easy cash. A burglar can strike at any time day or night but most burglaries can be prevented by taking steps to ensure your home is secure. Burglars love it when you make their job easier for them. The following steps will make it harder for them and in turn more likely that they will avoid your property.

1. Burglary Deterrents
and Home Security

2. As the nights draw darker and
colder, it is important to evaluate
the security of your home and take
measures to ensure your home
isn’t an easy burglary target...

3. November, the
month you are
most likely to
be burgled!

4. During the winter period
your home can be seen to
be more vulnerable by an
intruder, especially in the
lead up to Christmas when
you are more than likely to
have unopened items of
high value.

5. Follow these
steps to ensure
your home is
protected this
winter:

6. Alarm Systems - Alarms are a great
deterrent but a complete home system can
cost as much as £2000 with a yearly
maintenance cost on top. If you don’t have
this sort of money spare you can still give the
impression of having an alarm system
installed by purchasing a Dummy siren bell
box for as little as £13.99.

7. Ensure your locks are British
Standard -
Home insurance companies
will specify that your
property must be fitted with
British Standard locks on
your doors and windows.

8. Protect yourself from lock snapping -
Intruders will often use various methods
and makeshift tools to snap locks in
order to gain entry to a home. To protect
yourself from lock snapping simply
upgrade your cylinder to one that is
specifically designed to prevent this
method of attack, ideally one that meets
the TS007 3 star standard, such as ABS
High Security Cylinders.

9. Additional door security –
When upgrading your home
security you may want to consider
having the following fitted to your
door to help keep out any
unwanted guests:
• Door chain
• Spy hole
• Letterbox guard or cage

10. Secure the perimeter –
The type of fencing, hedging or
walls around a property can
attract or deter thieves. Check
for weak spots where a burglar
could get into your garden, for
example, a low sagging fence or
a back gate with a weak lock.

11. Secure your shed –
Your average garden shed is a treasure
trove of valuables such as power tools,
bicycles and garden equipment; therefore
sheds will often provide easy pickings for
opportunist thieves. The majority of
sheds will not be strong enough to
withstand an attempt to break into them
therefore if possible store your valuables
in an alternative secure location such as a
garage or even your house.

12. See the steps below on how you can improve your shed
security:
• Upgrade your locks.
• Have a shed alarm fitted.
• Grow prickly plants close to your shed window.
• Have curtains or shades fitted to your shed window.
• Mark all valuables stored in your shed either using a
UV pen or a DNA marker.

13. Lights - Even though the majority of
burglaries occur during daylight hours,
a large number still occur during the
hours of darkness. Burglars are in
search of houses with no one home.
To reduce your home's risk of burglary
at night, install motion lights on the
front and on the rear of your house
wherever possible.

14. Protect your valuables –
Don't leave your valuables
(Laptop, jewellery, mobiles etc.)
where they can be seen from a
window, consider drapes or
blinds so that any view of the
interior of your home is
restricted.

15. The illusion of being home –
If you work evenings or know you are going away on holiday for a
number of weeks there are a number of cheaper options available
that when used give the illusion that someone is still in the
property.
• Ask a friend or neighbour to open and close curtains.
• Timer switches for lamps.
• Fake TV – Simulates the light of a LED TV.
• Pay for Royal Mail’s ‘Keepsafe’ Service to ensure any post you
receive whilst you’re away doesn’t pile up; this can be a tell-tale
sign that your property isn’t currently occupied.

16. By following these
simple steps you will
be helping to protect
your home from an
intruder.