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1. The Front Of Your Home
Keep hedges, trees and shrubs trimmed to a reasonable height to allow your neighbours maximum view of your property.
A gate in front of the drive is a good physical and psychological barrier to the burglar and not so easy to sneak past. Remember to keep it closed.
Outside lighting and alarms are an excellent deterrent and are proven to reduce the risk of burglary. Net curtains prevent a burglar looking into your home and seeing what there is to steal.
2. The Rear Of Your Home
This is the most important security aspect. Low or damaged fencing allows easy access to your property. Gates, fencing, walls or hedges should be at least 1.8 metres high. A wooden trellis fixed to the top is very effective. If climbed, it will break, create noise and attract attention.
Gates at the side or back of the house should be kept locked with a good quality bolt and padlock. Garden sheds should be kept locked with a padlock or mortise deadlock as they often contain tools suitable for breaking into your home and valuable equipment such as lawn mowers.
Do not leave ladders lying around. These provide the burglar with the means to climb into upstairs windows. Keep them locked in a garage or shed, or chained to a wall.
3. Burglar Alarms
Alarms act as a deterrent - telling the burglar you have taken preventive measures - and as an alarm warning that, in spite of your best efforts, your security has been breached. You should therefore consider alarms after the other physical security improvements have been determined.
When buying a burglar alarm from a recognised company, consider the following:
- Before disclosing personal security details, check the address and credentials of the company and ask the representative for proof of identity.
- Is the company subject to an independent inspection and, if so, by which organisation? Confirm this.
- Is the alarm a requirement of your insurance company and, if so, is the company acceptable to your insurer? At the present time your insurance company may only recognise NACOSS approved alarm installers.
- Ensure the representative from the alarm company offers you a list of police rules for occupiers with alarms and written confirmation that the alarm and the company are currently acceptable to the local police.
- Seek written quotations from at least two alarm installers.
- Does the quotation specify the installation will be to BS 4737 or BS 7042 (high security systems ) or, if it is a wire free alarm, BS 6799 clause 6? Does it include the terms of maintenance and any monitoring contracts?
- Does the company operate a 24 hour call-out service and offer emergency attendance within four hours?
When buying an alarm, keep these specifications in mind:
- Alarms must meet the standard BS: EN50131
- Obtain at least 3 quotes from companies inspected by NSI or SSAIB.
- Monitored alarms are those that pass messages to a monitoring centre for action by keyholders or the police.
- The police have strict rules to limit their attendance at false alarms. Ask the installer for details or check the page on our web site.
- Monitored alarms should have a monitored telephone line and back-up in case of an attack on the telephone line.
- Alarms need maintenance, so ask installers which parts you own, and what the monitoring and maintenance cost are each year.
- Non-monitored systems require a neighbour or passer-by to react to the bell or siren. The police do not attend these systems unless the neighbour is able to report other suspicious circumstances.
- In your absence you need keyholders to reset alarms.
- Keep neighbours on your side. Solve false alarm problems, minimise alarm noise and look after each others security interests.
4. How Plants Can Help
Bushes and shrubs can be a burglar's dream in providing cover for their activities. However, they can be made into a burglar's nightmare. The planting of a prickly hedge, such as firethorn, climbing rose or hawthorn, against existing fencing will act as a powerful deterrent.
Other plants which provide natural protection are:
Holly
Blackthorn
Pyracantha
Berberis
Rosa
Rugosa
Many garden centres will be able to identify these plants and those most suitable for your garden.
5. Gardens, gates & fences
Identify your private property with fences, gates, walls or planting.
A thorny hedge along the boundary of your property can put thieves off. But make sure that passers-by can still see the front of your home so that a burglar can't work without being seen.
- Prevent easy access to the back and sides of your home by locked gates, 2 metre minimum fencing or walls. Trellis topping also makes climbing difficult.
- Burglars don't like gravel; it's noisy to walk on.
- Security lighting should make offenders feel vulnerable and observed, should illuminate high risk areas and allow occupiers to see persons approaching.
- Security lighting should not cause light pollution, annoy neighbours or blind occupiers from identifying callers.
- Remove and secure items that may be used to break in or climb up. Ladders and garden tools should be locked away
Identify your private property with fences, gates, walls or planting.
A thorny hedge along the boundary of your property can put thieves off. But make sure that passers-by can still see the front of your home so that a burglar can't work without being seen.
6. Garages & Sheds
Garages and sheds are often full of expensive tools to steal or use to break into the house. Do not leave a garage or garden shed unlocked, especially if it has a connecting door to the house.
- Fit strong padlocks and hardware to shed and garage doors, making sure that the doors are solid enough not to be kicked in.
- Fit locks or bars to windows.
- Lock ladders inside your garage or shed.
- Consider lockable steel boxes or anchor posts fitted to the floor to secure tools and equipment.
- Gardens tools and machinery should be permanently marked with your postcode.
7. Cars, caravans & boats
Whilst car security has improved they remain a valuable target and mass production can mean that loopholes in security can become common knowledge and additional security is required. Keys can be obtained through burglary, hooking through letter boxes and threats to owners. Caravans, trailers and boats can be easily stolen and their appearances changed.
- Tracking devices can be hidden and activated following theft to allow early trace and recovery by the police.
- Do not leave keys close to letter boxes or open windows.
- Wheel clamps and hitch locks should be fitted to trailers and caravans.
- Some property marking products can be used to identify trailers, boats and caravans.
The police and the British Parking Association operate the Safer Parking Award which recognised those car park operators that have added security features and management processes to reduce the risk of crime. Look for the Park Mark logo to identify safer places to park.
8. Lighting
Some exterior lights have an infra-red sensor which switches the light on for a few minutes when it detects something in its range.
Timers to switch on lights and radios inside the home while you are out are a good deterrent.
Make the home look and sound occupied even if you are out.
