Home safety and security

Burglary has fallen by nearly 60% nationally since 1995. In Cheshire, burglaries have dropped by 12.9% in the last five years, which means there are now 592 fewer victims of burglary a year than in 2005.  

The county also has a crime rate which is below national average. While this is good reason for you to feel secure in your home, you should remain aware that criminals are opportunists who will take advantage of any chance to steal from you.

It is important that you do whatever you can to deter burglars from targeting your home.

 

Keeping your home secure

How can I stop my property being a target for burglars?

Burglary is rarely a random crime. Most burglars are opportunists and will select their target because it provides them with the easiest chance to carry out a crime undetected and with the fewest number of obstacles.

Figures show that you are ten times more likely to be burgled if you don’t take basic steps to improve the security of your home. That means that taking even simple measures can significantly reduce the risk of being targeted by a burglar.

Stop potential burglars getting easy access

It might seem obvious, but 35% of burglaries happen because a door or window has been left open or unlocked. Burglars do not need a second invitation. Always lock doors and accessible windows. Do not leave ladders outside where a burglar could use them to get to an upstairs window. Make sure that side gates are kept locked to prevent would-be burglars getting access to more secluded parts of your property.

Make it as tough as possible for a burglar to get into your house. Leaving garden tools out provides criminals with an easy method of forcing entry to your house. Putting a spare key under a mat or plant pot offers burglars an even easier way into your house. Burglars will look in these places. You should also keep keys away from the letterbox to stop burglars ‘fishing’ for the keys and letting themselves into the property.

Don’t label your keys with your address. If you lose them, you could be handing a burglar directions and access to your house.

If you live in a multi-occupancy property, be careful not to let people you don’t know into the building. Burglars can easily get into buildings by simply following residents through the door.

It is also important to consider access to your garage. Is it as secure as your house? If not, would it be easier for someone to break-in to your house once they were in the garage?

Make your home appear occupied

One of the best deterrents to burglary is somebody being in the house. Even if there isn’t anybody at home, there are lots of things you can do to give the impression that the house is occupied. Draw the curtains and leave a light on in the house when you go out in the evening.

If you are leaving the house unoccupied for longer, install timers which switch lights or radios on and off automatically. Make sure that milk bottles and parcels are not left on the doorstep, and that letters and newspapers are not left in the letterbox. Ask a neighbour or relative to regularly clear the doorstop and letterbox. You could also encourage someone to park on your drive while you are away.

Keep your valuables out of sight

Burglars are unscrupulous people. Tempting them by leaving valuables in view is asking for trouble. Don’t let them go window shopping at your house.

Remember your car keys are valuable too and should always be kept out of sight.

Make your property unappealing to burglars

Burglars want to make life as easy as possible for themselves. Security lights above doorways are one deterrent. A darkened doorway offers much more potential for a burglar to remain undetected. Similarly, a property with high and untrimmed hedges provides burglars with the reassurance that there is less chance of them being spotted.

Alarms are useful as both a deterrent and to alert people if a burglary does happen. A burglar will always favour a house without an alarm over one that does have an alarm.

Even something as simple as a gravel drive can put off criminals. Burglars are unlikely to take the risk of having to tiptoe over a noisy surface.

Prepare for the worst

Make sure you are in the best possible position in case you ever do become a burglary victim. Use an ultra-violet marker pen to write your postcode on your valuable items. Alternatively, you could use a unique, invisible forensic solution which can be painted over your valuable items. If your items are recovered, police officers will easily be able to return them to you.

Keeping photos of your valuable items is a very easy way of helping with the search for any stolen items.

Check your insurance policy to make sure you know what level of cover you have.

Sheds and garages

  • Do not keep valuables, such as bicycles, in your shed.
  • Consider fitting an alarm to your shed if you do plan to keep valuables in it.
  • Consider fitting an internal bar to secure windows.
  • Use a hasp and staple with padlock on doors. For added security, bolt the padlock to the door and frame.
  • Use anti-tamper clutch-head screws on external hinges and apply glue to the screw heads.