Blinkforhome offers advice on safeguarding your home from burglary

Don Shulsinger from Blinkforhome gives advice on some simple steps to take to prevent becoming part of these statistics.

Doors

Lock your doors every time you leave the house. Don’t be tempted to leave any door open because you’ll just ‘be a minute’. All it takes is a few minutes of distraction to give a criminal the chance they need to access your home. If you leave for a longer period, make sure security systems are in place.Ensure your door is well constructed. Solid wood or metal doors are a must for secure exterior entrances. Fix deadbolts on all outside doors. This is an easy security measure to take that is worth your time to install.

Windows

Check all your windows for locks, including upstairs. Ideally, you have more than one locking mechanism on the windows to keep them secure. If you don’t, double check to make sure the locks are functioning.

Fit shatter resistant glass. The glass in windows and sliding doors should be shatter resistant. Thin glass doesn’t create a strong deterrent against a particularly motivated criminal.

Do your doors and windows on tracks have protection? They should have the ability to lock from the inside only and you shouldn’t be able to pull these off of their tracks from the outside.

Securely hide spare keys. Doormats, flowerpots and fake rocks are not fooling anyone who’s determined enough to break in. Hide them securely or keep them with a friend, neighbour or family member.

Manually lock your garage door. Automatic openers offer a convenient way for your car to get in and out, but they can create a vulnerable home security point because they are easier to break into. Get a separate lock that doesn’t depend on your garage door opener.

Keep valuables out of sight

Can you see any valuables, such as a television or computer, when you walk in front of your house? Get window treatments to block off casual viewers so your home doesn’t get marked as a high-value target.

Landscaping

Your bushes give a burglar plenty of places to hide, and nearby trees can lead them right to your windows. For tall trees and bushes, keep the lower branches trimmed down. Shorter foliage should stay below human height. If you want to be particularly proactive about secure landscaping, get rose bushes and other thorny plants to put below your windows. Gravel pathways can be a deterrent.

Outdoor lighting

Make sure your property is well-illuminated at night. Put lights on all entry ways and walking paths. Motion detector lights are excellent for dark corners.

Number your house

Can you read your house number from the street? If there’s an emergency, every second counts. Make sure the police, fire department and emergency medical personnel know the house number instantly.

Inventory

Make an inventory of every item in your home. You can determine if something is missing and use it should you need to make a homeowner or rental insurance claim.

Details: blinkforhome.co.uk