How safe is your home? We all know burglary is a serious issue. Your home is the only environment where you have control over. Protecting your home and belongings from criminal intrusion should be high on your list of priorities when you’re at home or away.
We spoke with LDG estate agents in Fitzrovia have gave us their top 4 tips on how you can make your home a lot more secure. They have also thrown in a few statistics on UK burglary:
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1. Security alarms
Placing alarm systems around the house are a valuable investment in the protection of your home and family. So why would you not include them in your property? Home security alarm systems have come a long way, today they do more than just disturb intruders. From calling emergency personnel to controlling the lights from your smart phone, alarm systems are a vital piece of equipment which can guard your home.
2. Windows
Another thing that can help your home from being burglars is protecting your windows. It’s important to keep your windows from opening more than 6 inches. Burglars are experienced, don’t be fooled. These skilled burglars know that older sliding sash windows and modern windows can still be lifted right out of their frames. If yours is the type that pops out you want to get yourself some new, replacement windows. They may be costly, but if it’s going to help stop thieves from entering your home, it’s a wise investment.
3. Doors
Impostors prefer the easy route, yes it is simply by walking in and out the front or back door, it’s as simple as that. Doors are the primary route of entry and exit for most thieves, so it’s fundamental you secure them effectively. You can improve home physical security by making simple adjustments to your front door like adding a chubb lock or a peephole so you can see who is at your front door. Burglars typically test a house by first ringing the bell to ensure no one’s home, so be aware!
4. Lighting
Lighting up your home is a useful deterrent of break-ins. If you’re popping out in the evenings, you should think about switching a few lights on around the house to notify potential intruders. Or you could fit external security lighting.
Right, to sum up the obvious: close your windows and doors at night and when you leave the house, which is the obvious! Fit security locks if need be. Follow these steps and the chances are you will never have to face the problem of what to do when a thief breaks in. It’s not nice having someone break into your home and take your person possessions, this can be avoided by just being more aware of home security.
Here are some interesting UK burglary statistics:
- Did you know every year; there are just over a million burglaries and attempted burglaries in the UK? – Yes, that is a lot!
- A burglary happens every 40 seconds in the UK! So as you read this article, someone is being burgled. That’s crazy!
- Most burglary victims are single-parent families in urban UK areas.
- It has been noticed that 1 in 4 victims have had their house broken into more than once.