Did you know that an attempted burglary is made on a home in the UK every 43 seconds? There are usually around 750,000 attempted break-ins in the UK each year, and just under half of million of them are successful. Those figures really ought to convince anyone of the need to install some kind of home security system, or at least to make improvements to the one they’ve already got.
Here are five tips on how you can improve your home’s security.
1. Fit an intruder alarm
Fitting an intruder alarm should be your first deterrent, but it certainly should not be your last. Alarms work in two ways – if your alarm is visible, then it will deter burglars from breaking into your home in the first place (a house without an intruder alarm is six to seven times more likely to be broken into than one without). Secondly, it will scare off intruders who have managed to break in, minimising the amount of valuables and other commodities that they are able to make off with.
2. Keep off social media
It’s a temptation to tell all your friends on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter where you are if you are on holiday, or if you are out for the evening, or if you have nipped off for a weekend break. The trouble with telling people where you are is that you’re also broadcasting the fact your house is empty. If your social media profile is accessible to anyone, and you post a status that suggests that there’s no one at home, your next Facebook status update may not be a pleasant one.
3. Fit intruder lighting
A lot of burglaries still happen at night. A frightening number occur in occupied homes, while the occupants are sleeping. Darkness acts great cover, as even if you spot the person who has invaded your home, identification in murky light is nigh on impossible. If you install intruder lighting, it will act as an excellent deterrent as any would-be thieves will lose the advantage of being in the dark. Intruder lights trigger if anyone approaches close enough when night has fallen.
4. Invest in decent locks
You can now get door and window locks that are of excellent quality, including locks that bolt the door or window for its entire length, instead at just one single point. If you could get your head through a gap in the window, it needs a decent lock to stop a burglar doing the same thing.
5. Install CCTV
CCTV systems have really come down in price of late, mainly thanks to advances in technology like Internet Protocol (IP) cameras and high definition recording. You can easily wire up a CCTV camera outside your front door, or you can invest in a wireless camera that you can link directly to your PC or home entertainment centre. You can even check who is around your property when you are miles away, as long as you can access the internet. If a CCTV system is too expensive for you to consider at the moment, you can buy dummy CCTV cameras to act as a deterrent, although we’d always recommend that you invest in the real thing.
More help
Home security is essential, and doesn’t have to be expensive. You can easily make your home more secure and there are lots of options available. Increase your home security by following the five tips given above, and contact Angel Security for specialist advice on your own unique circumstances.
Image Credit: Lydia_shiningbrightly on Flickr
