Any burglary can be a devastating loss, both financially and mentally. Being a victim of a burglary can have a significant impact on your mental health as well as your physical wealth.

 

Burglars, however, often have a list of things they look out for that indicates when a house is an attractive target or not. Here is a list of ways you can make your house less appealing to criminals:

 

Before Dark

Make sure all of your most valuable belongings are out of sight. These should include house keys, wallets, phones and jewellery

You might still feel at home when you’re in the garden for a few hours, but you’re not. Its very important to treat this as thought you are out and make sure all entrance points are locked.

Alarms are an effective deterrent and will let you know instantly if somebody is trying to get into your property. Consider investing in one of our  security systems, which can be installed across your home to make you feel safe and secure.

You should also consider implementing GPS trackers or markers that include your postcode and address to your most valuable objects. Once these are in place, you can register for free at the UK national property register to keep a track of your objects if they are ever stolen.

 

After Dark

As long as it doesn’t effect your sleep and can still be managed in a cost affective fashion, consider leaving a light on somewhere downstairs or in at least one room upstairs so it looks like there is somebody inside even when there isn’t.

If you are frequently away from your home at night or on holiday, you can invest in timers or remote-activated controls that can turn your lights off on remotely using your phone.

Keep all rear access gates secured at night or if they are not in use as this is a very common method of entry for many burglars.

Keep all tools locked securely in your shed or in a safe place internally as many thieves will use your own tools to gain access to various parts of your home if given the chance.

One trick that burglars often use is for one burglar to distract you at the front door whilst their accomplice sneaks in through a separate access point. This is particularly common with elderly or vulnerable victims. Make sure that the only access point unlocked is at the front door and don’t allow anyone inside without asking for identification first. Thought even ID can be faked, so be very wary.

 

Additional Tips

If you have a security system installed, make sure it’s clearly visible and thus acts as a deterrent rather than a retrospective alarm.

A dog can be a surprisingly powerful deterrent so if you have one, make its presence felt, even if it is only a small breed.

Discuss having a neighbourhood watch system in place with your neighbours. Consider having a sign that acts as a deterrent. If the burglar thinks that they have to be avoided by everyone in the street rather than just you, the homeowner, this may put them off further.

Most of these tips require very little cost, time or effort but could make the crucial difference between a burglar deciding to target your home for their criminal behaviour. So, whether you are planning on investing in a  security system or simply wish to do everything you can to deter burglars targeting your home, these tips can help you keep yourself and your loved ones safe.