New research from The Co-Op Insurance shows that home theft claims increase by over a third during the dark winter months, with Friday being the most likely day a theft will occur.<\/p>\n
With the clocks now having gone back at the weekend, and the autumn equinox now well behind us, there will be more hours of darkness providing criminals with more opportunities to carry out break-ins, burglaries and thefts under the cover of darkness.<\/p>\n
Here are some simple steps you can take to keep your home safe from potential burglars.<\/p>\n
1<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Keep all hedges and shrubberies trimmed so that they don’t provide cover for thieves trying to sneak around your garden. You could consider planting thorny bushes such as holly, juniper, or blackthorn under or near windows to make it difficult \u2013 and painful \u2013 to break in.<\/p>\n 2\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Install motion sensor lights around your home, particularly near entrances or weak spots in the perimeter of your boundary hedging or fencing.\u00a0<\/p>\n 3<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2013 Don\u2019t leave expensive items in the garden overnight; bicycles, motorcycles, barbeques, garden furniture, children\u2019s playthings, and tools are all magnets for thieves and provide them with easy pickings. Never leave a ladder in your garden as this could present a thief with the opportunity to access first-floor windows.<\/p>\n 4<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Make sure your perimeter fencing is in good condition. If you don\u2019t have a fence and there is an open approach to your house from the street, it is worthwhile considering installing a fence \u2013 an open link chain fence clearly marks the boundary, while a solid fence is easy to scale and provides thieves with a place to hide.<\/p>\n 5<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Make sure all garden gates are well secured, preferably with locks that can only be opened from the inside of the gate. Lock all sheds, garages and outbuildings with a good quality padlock, and keep them locked, even when you are at home.<\/p>\n 6<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Get to know your neighbours; close-knit communities tend to look out for one another and are more likely to spot strangers or be aware of any irregular comings and goings. It\u2019s also a good idea to join your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. If there isn\u2019t one in your area, the local Police can advise you on how to set one up. Independent Research has shown that membership of a Neighbourhood Watch can reduce the chance of a break-in by around 25%.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 7<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Don\u2019t hide a spare key under a plant pot, the doormat, etc. Thieves are likely to know these common hiding places and will search for a key. If you can\u2019t leave a spare key with a neighbour, then install a small strong box with a combination lock in a discreet place in your garden.<\/p>\n 8<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Put gravel on your drive or front path; walking on gravel makes a noise and this will deter intruders.<\/p>\n 1<\/strong> \u2013 Make sure your door and window locks are in good order and provide enough protection. Fit deadlocks to the inside of all doors leading to the outside. Always remember to lock up every time you leave the house \u2013 even if you are just popping to the local shop. Get into a routine at night of checking all the doors and windows are secured.\u00a0 Fit a peephole in the front door and a chain on all doors leading to the outside.<\/p>\n 2<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If you are away from the house for long periods, or are home after it gets dark, use timer switches for lights and a radio so that they come on before you get home; to the outside world, it appears as if the house is occupied. Try to vary the timings so that it\u2019s not obvious that the lights are on a timer.<\/p>\n 3<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Keep all personal documentation safe \u2013 a thief is likely to take personal documents and sell them on to identity fraudsters. Consider buying a safe for important documents and valuable items such as jewellery.<\/p>\n 4<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Fit wooden shutters, net curtains or voile panels to your windows to block the view of the inside of your home from anyone looking through the windows.<\/p>\nInside the Home<\/h3>\n