Would You Burgle Your Home?
Is Your Home Burglar Proof?
A lot of burglaries happen because of the simple fact that the houses look easy to break into. Whether it be because there’s a bundle of letters at the door, no lights on at night or a back door left unlocked, it makes entering the property too tempting. But how do you stop this? Simply look around you, look at your street and you’ll be able to tell which houses are either unoccupied, away or people are living in.
The main thing to remember is that your home must always look lived in. With no temptation of goods on show, so don’t leave expensive delivery boxes out for the bin as this only shows you’ve been spending money on costly items. Likewise with leaving your blinds fully open with a huge TV or smartphones and tablets on the sofa. Once you notice it, you won’t do it again, but picking up on all of the things you’ve done previously will surprise you.
How to Deter a Burglar from Your Home
Whether you live alone or are simply looking for ways to prevent a burglary, you’ve somehow found this post on how to deter a burglar from your home. So let us ask, is your home burglar proof? If the property wasn’t yours and you wanted to break in would it be easy or appealing? You may think not, but some homes can be incredibly easy to get into. We’re all guilty of it, maybe going out for a meal without leaving a light on or going on holiday and posting pictures online, it doesn’t do any good for your home security. Hopefully by reading this post, you can learn some useful tips on preventing a burglary.
Ten Ways To Prevent a Burglary
These ten points aren’t guaranteed to deter a burglar, but they can help to prevent a burglary. Whether you live in a built-up area or in a quiet village or countryside, the same rules apply. Always make it look like there’s someone home and never leave temptation out on display. Light up a room/s in the dark and open blinds in the day (to an angle where nothing can be seen). This will show that people are inside but will show you’re aware. That said, here are ten ways to prevent a burglary:
- Don’t leave expensive items on display or insight
- If you’re out/away invest in timers for your lights (don’t make the time too obvious, maybe opt for 7:22 for example, or have more than one to alternate.)
- Never leave your doors unlocked, even if you’re home
- Check your windows and doors at night and before you leave
- Outdoor motion lights can prevent burglars from trying your home
- Don’t make it known when you’re away – social media can be terrible for this reason
- Move your post – leaving them on display can make it appear that you’re away. Likewise with leaving your deliveries or boxes out
- A ‘FakeTV’ is a powered box that is designed to mimic the lights of a TV. This can last up to 7 hours at a time
- Don’t be afraid to ask your neighbours for help. Ask your close neighbours to move post, open blinds or switch on lights if you’re away. Or even if you live alone, ask them to listen out for you
- The most obvious – a home alarm! Yes, this will show when you’re not in, but it will alarm the street should the worst happen
Most of all, just be cautious with who you’re telling your private information to. You may be surprised to know that some burglaries are actually done by people you know, simply because you’ve told them that you’re away or won’t be home. Social media can often be the biggest cause of burglaries due to the fact that you’re publicising all over social media that you’re not home. Unless you live with people who are still home or have a house sitter, this is something you shouldn’t do. Yes, we all love to see your holiday snaps, but please keep these to yourself, at least until you come home.
Now You Know, You Won’t Look Back
By putting our tips into practice, you’re not only helping to prevent a burglary, but you’re making it harder for them too. Motion lights work especially well because as soon as they come too close, your property will be lit up and it usually scares them off. But it’s a great way to alert others too. Always make sure that your burglar alarm is activated at night and when you go out, so if the worst did happen, the street will be alerted and in some cases, it can alert the police automatically too. With all this in mind, we hope you keep these tips in play and it helps with your peace of mind.
If you wish to up your home security, then please don’t hesitate to call London Locks today. We even offer burglary repairs in London, should the worst have already happened.