Former Burglars Offer Tips On Home Security

• June 15, 2018|
• News|
• Darren Clarke

There can be a spike in burglary rates during the summer in the UK, because more people are out and about enjoying the sunny weather, and more of us tend to go away on holiday at this time of the year.

Home security is something that should be on your mind though, regardless of whether you plan to jet off for a couple of weeks or are staying local for your summer holidays.

Speaking to the Express recently, two former burglars have offered homeowners advice on how to keep their homes secure and make it less likely that their properties will be targeted by thieves.

It goes without saying that you should always lock your windows and doors when you leave your home, and if it’s been a while since you had new windows or doors fitted on your home and yours are looking a little worse for wear, now could be a good time to consider buying new doors in Stockport.

When you are shopping for a new door, you also need to think about the kind of lock it’s fitted with.

One of the top tips from the former burglars is to fit a deadlock on your door, because this makes picking the lock a lot more time consuming. According to these experts, many burglars will give up if they realise that a door has a deadlock on it.

Another thing to consider is having a recording of a dog barking (if you don’t have a dog, of course). This can act as a deterrent to would-be thieves, because they may think someone else is at home, or will worry that the dog will draw attention to them.

If you are going to be heading off on holiday this summer, there are a few things you should do. Firstly, make sure you take your passports and driving licences with you, as this will make it much harder for someone to commit identity fraud if they do break into your property.

Secondly, try to resist the temptation to post on social media about your forthcoming holiday. Burglars can use this information to find out how long you’ll be away for and as a result plan a break in when they know you’ll be away.

In fact, posting too much information online about your day-to-day schedule is another no-no, because it gives burglars details about when your home will be unoccupied. The newspaper also notes that if you’ve publicly shared such information, some insurance policies may either pay out a reduced rate if you’re burgled, or could refuse to pay out at all.

The final tip is to keep on top of your gardening. This may sound strange at first, but there are several reasons why this can put burglars off. It removes potential hiding spots around the property, and makes it more likely that anyone trying to break in could be spotted by neighbours or passersby.

A neglected garden can also be an indication that a house is currently vacant. If the garden is being looked after, such as the lawn being regularly mowed and the flowerbeds tended to, it can make people think twice about breaking in.

Even if you’re going to be away for a few weeks, it could be worth paying a gardener to pop in while you’re on holiday to keep your garden looking tidy.

Last month, an article in the Express noted that there has been a nine per cent increase in burglaries around the UK in the last year.