While the gross number of burglaries in the UK actually declined this year, there is no reason not to be vigilant. Forced break-ins and robberies can be extremely traumatic, not to mention costly, and no one wants to have to deal with the stressful process of making an insurance claim.
But by following just a few simple steps you can avoid this and make a massive difference to your safety and, just as importantly, your peace of mind.
How to prevent burglaries
There are numerous ways to secure your home against intruders, varying in both price and effort. We’ve listed our top 10 home security tips from both ends of the scale to help you learn the most effective methods how to secure your home in the UK and deter break-ins from happening to your property and, if you share these tips, to those of your loved ones too.
Install an alarm system
Having a visual security alarm attached to the outside of your house is a brilliant deterrent to burglars. Even better, some home insurers offer discounts on having an approved alarm installed.
Make sure your doors are secure
One of the most successful ways to prevent burglaries is to ensure that your doors are secure as possible (this goes with windows too!) If you’re worried about break-ins, you should inspect your doors to see whether the material, hinges and frames are strong and sturdy and replacing them if there are weaknesses such as a lock you can manually open through the letterbox.
With these actions you are much safer, however, you may need to take extra security measures if you’ve already been broken into which could include installing a home security system.
Upgrade any old locks
Locking the entry points to your home isn’t enough if you don’t have high-quality locks. It’s so important to update old locks and check they are improved by insurers, especially if you have recently moved.
If you’re unsure about this, a qualified locksmith can help evaluate your locks to see whether they meet approved security standards, but we also have a guide that provides more information about insurance-approved door locks elsewhere on our blog.
Light up the front of your home
A tried and tested way to dissuade burglars from approaching your home is investing in a motion-activated outdoor light. There’s also the added bonus of making it safer for you and your visitors to navigate in the dark.
Be sneaky about where you hide your keys
Practiced burglars are going to know the most common places door keys are hidden, so under a strategically positioned potted plant or under a door mat are no-nos. Think outside of the box: is there somewhere completely obscure you could hide your keys? Could you invest in a wall-mounted key safe?
Keep your valuables out of sight
This may seem like an obvious home security tip, but it’s easy to forget when we all have such busy lives. Make sure your prized possessed are hidden so that burglars don’t have an incentive to enter your home. A safe might be a good solution if you are extra nervous about locking away your valuables.
Secure all outdoor buildings
This means your garage or shed which are often easy targets for burglars who take advantage of our forgetfulness. You can keep them secure by ensuring they’re made of a solid material like metal and that they’re guarded by a heavy-duty lock. Afterall, no one wants to be a victim of vehicle theft.
Keep your bikes secure
As well as your home and outdoor buildings, bikes are a tempting target for criminals who want to quickly cash in their thefts. You could protect your bikes by investing in a bike store and heavy-duty D lock or chain or simply lock them up out of sight.
Maintain the illusion of being at home
When you’re away for extended periods of time or even just for an evening, it’s a good idea to make sure it looks like someone’s home. If you’re going on holiday this could mean cancelling regularly deliveries such as subscription boxes so they don’t pile up and give you away. It’s also sensible not to advertise publicly and online that you’re going away – otherwise you could be putting a target on your back!
Join a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
Strength comes in numbers. By joining Neighbourhood Watch you can feel even safer all whilst serving the community.
To summarise
We hope this guide has shown how straight forward it is to secure your home and prevent burglaries. You can start small and work up to bigger investments of time and money but, essentially, protecting home security sums up to reinforcing entry points, removing incentives for burglars to approach your home and keeping your valuables protected behind high quality locks. With these weapons in your arsenal, you can make it very difficult for intruders to penetrate your home.
