Insurance

Beat the burglar

It’s a good idea to look at ways of reducing the risk of being a victim of crime. You can make yourself safer and protect your home, your family and your belongings by following some of these simple suggestions.

Most crimes are committed on the spur of the moment, by opportunist thieves who might spot an open window or valuables on display. Many of the steps suggested here are common sense, but they can make a real difference. By securing your home and property, you can save yourself the distress and expense of crime, and make your community a better and safer place to live in.

Homeowners

Spending money on security measures can seem daunting, but it's a good investment and can add value to your property.

Contact your council or local police for help. They may be able to advise you on the best measures to protect your property, and may even have grants to help cover the cost.

Home security is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled. A lot of burglaries are spur of the moment, as a burglar may see an open window or other easy point of entry and take their chance.

Basic tips

• When you go out, always lock the door and close the windows – even if you’re just going out for a short time.
• Window locks, especially on older windows, will help stop people from getting in. A burglar is less likely to break in if they have to smash a window.
• If you have deadlocks, use them. They make it harder for the thief to get out again. But don’t leave the key near the door or in an obvious place!
• Don’t leave spare keys outside, in a garage or shed, and put car keys or garage keys out of sight in the house.
• Use timers for lights and radios if you need to be away from home overnight. They will create the impression that someone is in.
• Visible burglar alarms, good lighting, and carefully directed security lighting can put burglars off. But make sure that lights don’t disturb your neighbours and that alarms go off after 20 minutes.
• Fences at the back of the house may make the area more secure, but walls and solid fencing may let a thief break in without being seen. A good compromise is chain link fencing, or trellises with prickly shrubs.
• Fitting a ‘spy hole’ allows you to see who is at the door. Having a door chain means that you can open the door a little to talk to them.
• Make sure that any improvements you make don’t stop you from getting out of your house as quickly as possible if there is a fire.
• And finally, it’s also important to remember that most crime is against property, and that crime levels are going down in most places.

For further information, we have a handy pdf document called ‘A safer and more secure home’ which gives lots of tips on how to safeguard your property.