HOME
SECURITY - Your home is your castle.
Unfortunately,
far too many householders have to experience the loss and distress
of being burgled. This factsheet provides simple and effective advice
on home security to help you protect your home and your peace of mind.
Other factsheets available in this series include: Vehicle Crime,
Bogus Callers and Personal Safety. Contact the NNWA for copies or
check www.neighbourhoodwatch.net to download factsheets.
THIS FACTSHEET INCLUDES INFORMATION ON:
- How to make your home more secure
- How to security mark your property
- Neighbourhood watch
Around
the house
Windows
A third of burglars get in through a back window. Visible window locks
may deter some thieves as it means they have to break the glass and
risk attracting attention. You can help keep out thieves by:
- fitting key operated window locks to all downstairs windows and
easily accessible upstairs windows, such as those above a flat roof
or drainpipe
- gluing slats in louvre windows so that they cannot be removed easily
- if you are replacing windows, consider laminated glass
Doors
- fitting a good lock to all your doors - a five lever mortice lock
is recommended
- patio doors should have special locks fitted to the top and bottom
(ask for advice at your local DIY store)
- glass panels on doors are particularly vulnerable and should be
replaced with laminated glass
- make sure doors and frames are in good and strong condition
- if you are thinking of buying PVC or metal framed doors/windows,
make sure they come with good built in locks and a fitted chain, as
these can be expensive to add afterwards
Alarms
Visible burglar alarms make burglars think twice. Get specialist advice
and consult your insurance company to see what they recommend. Be
aware of fire risks. As with all security measures, consideration
must be given to the risk of fire and means of escape. Fit a smoke
detector and contact your local fire brigade for advice. If you have
laminate glass on any windows and doors then remember that you will
not be able to break it if you need to escape your house in an emergency
and you will therefore need to make sure you have another means of
exit.
Anyone
home?
Most burglaries are committed by opportunist thieves, so with a few
simple measures you can help deter thieves from targeting your home.
The first thing a burglar wants to know is whether there is anyone
in. You can make it more difficult for a burglar by:
- leaving lights and/or a radio on while you are out and using a timer
switch if you are away for a few days
- opening your curtains and taking in newspapers, post and milk before
you leave the house in the morning
- asking your neighbours or a friend to keep an eye on your home if
you are going away - perhaps they could come in and draw the curtains
for you and collect your post, as this will help to make your house
look lived in - you can then do the same for them when they are away
- don't forget to cancel your newspapers and milk while you are away
- don't leave valuable items in view while you are out
Outside
Don't forget to secure the outside of your home:
- fit a strong, lockable gate across side passages
- never leave a garage or a shed unlocked
- keep expensive garden equipment locked in a shed overnight and when
you are away
- keep ladders locked up so thieves can't use them to gain access
to your house
- you may want to secure expensive garden plants while you are away
Lighting
Good lighting can deter a thief. Security lights which use infra red
sensors and come on when movement is detected are recommended. However,
any outside light that you can leave on while you are out will help.
If you already have existing outside lighting you can buy sensors
separately to convert them into a security light.
Keys
- never leave spare keys in a hiding place as thieves will know where
to look
- if you've recently moved into your house you may want to consider
changing the door locks as other people may have keys that fit
Is
your property security marked?
-
security marking valuable items of property will discourage burglars
from stealing them by making it difficult to sell them on. It will
also help the police to trace you as the owner of your property. You
should mark your property with your postcode and the number and/or
name of your house. You can security mark your property in a number
of ways:
- Permanent marking - Use an engraving tool and a stencil to mark
your code on the property you want to protect.
- Invisible marking - Write your code on property using an ultra violet
(UV) pen. This mark can only be seen by using a special lamp and fades
over time so you should refresh your marking every 6 six months.
- Photographs - Some items, such as jewellery and antiques may not
be suitable for marking. Therefore it is a good idea to take photos
of items and keep them safe with a record of any serial numbers or
markings. If your property is stolen this information will help the
police to recover your items.
To
deter burglars you can obtain window stickers from the police or your
local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, which say that you have security
marked your property.
Neighbourhood
Watch
In addition to making your own home more secure you can also help
to make your street or community a safer place for everyone who lives
there by joining or setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme. Neighbourhood
Watch is about people working together to make their communities safer
and friendlier places to live and work. The aim of Neighbourhood Watch
is to help people protect themselves and their properties, reduce
the fear of crime and improve their local environment. Contact your
local police station to find out if your area has a Neighbourhood
Watch scheme. If you do not have a scheme in your area you can consider
setting one up. The NNWA can send you an information pack (call
020 76623505) and your local police station will also be able
to help you.
Save
money on household insurance
Many
insurance companies will give you a discount on your household contents
insurance policy if you adopt simple home security measures such as
those suggested in this factsheet.
Many insurance companies also recognise the greatly reduced risk of
burglary that comes with being in an active Neighbourhood Watch scheme
and offer substantial discounts to households in active scheme areas.
Norwich Union, for example, offer discounts of up to 40% to Neighbourhood
Watch members. Save money on household insurance.
The
Home Security factsheet is published by the:
National Neighbourhood Watch Association, Schomberg
House, 80-82 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HF Tel: 020 7772 3348 Fax: 020
7772 3460 Reg Charity No: 1049584.
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