Many people think that burglary is completely random and that being targeted is simply a matter of terrible luck.
Whilst there is certainly an element of wrong place wrong time in having your home or car targeted by criminals, there are several simple measures that you can take to reduce the chances from being the victim of a burglary.
As Covid-19 restrictions lift across the UK, and schools and workplaces return to relatively normal operations, more and more of us are leaving our homes unoccupied for large periods of the day.
Burglars are primed to take advantage of this shift as this as the fewer people in close vicinity the higher the chances of getting in and out of a property without being detected.
What is important to understand is that the vast majority of domestic burglaries are not planned out but are committed by opportunist criminals who tend to target properties that appear unoccupied and have limited or no visible security.
A few simple security measures are usually enough to send burglars on their way and convince them that your property simply isn’t worth the effort.
Here are some of the best ways to keep your home and car safe from opportunist burglars:
Windows and Doors
Sometimes the simplest security measures are the most effective, and simply ensuring that all your windows and doors are closed and locked at night, and when your property is unoccupied, will make access a lot harder for burglars.
Many opportunist burglars will simply walk around a neighbourhood on the lookout for unoccupied properties, checking for any open windows and trying front and back doors for easy access.
It may seem surprising, but by simply locking windows and doors in your home you may have already prevented your home being targeted by burglars.
To reduce the appeal of your property even further it is worth upgrading older doors and windows as they may not have the same number of security features as modern alternatives.
The longer it would take for a burglar to break in through a locked window or door the highest the chance of you or your neighbour becoming aware of their presence and burglars will tend to focus on homes with older fixtures for this reason.
Casement windows are one of the most secure windows available as they are almost impossible to open from the outside as there is no lock to pick and have a complex internal mechanism.
Install CCTV
Installing a home CCTV system is one of the most effective deterrents you can take against burglars.
Despite this, just 14% of UK homeowners say that they have CCTV cameras installed according to a study by Co-op insurance.
If a burglar sees visible evidence of a CCTV system on your home, even just a doorbell cam, they will almost always move on elsewhere, deeming the risk of being detected and later identified by the police as much too high.
Should the worst happen, and your property is targeted you will be able to use the footage to provide evidence to the police, in court, and to give to your insurance company.
Lighting
Discretion is the best friend of any budding burglar and lighting up your driveway the moment a potential intruder sets foot on your property is a great way to scare them off.
Motion activated lights are a simple and cost-effective measure that you should install on the outside of your property to help keep criminals at bay by making their presence blatantly obvious to residents and passers-by.
Another way to increase lighting on your property is to ensure that there are no large trees or bushes blocking streetlights or hiding your property from view.
Keep vegetation and fences to a maximum of 1m high at the front of your property to increase visibility from the main road and make approaching your property undetected an impossible task.
Alarm System
Installing an alarm system in your home is another great active deterrent against opportunist burglars.
You can easily purchase a DIY alarm system from a hardware store than can be installed on your windows or near other entry points to alert residents and neighbours to potential intruders.
Once activated a loud siren or other noise will emit from the alarms speaker system causing the vast majority of intruders to turn on their heels and make a swift exit.
For maximum protection, you could have a fully integrated and monitored Burglar Alarm Glasgow installed by a professional security company.
A professional installer will ensure that there is a visible alarm box installed on the front of your property, high out of reach to avoid tampering, which will let anyone approaching the property that the system is primed and operational.
Contact Central FS
For more information on home security from a BAFE accredited industry leading expert, or to arrange a home survey today, contact Central FS now on 0141 530 1244.