With 21% of successful burglaries occurring at night, it is very important to remember to lock up your home before bed. This is why getting in to a routine would be very beneficial, so that securing your home becomes a force of habit instead of a task often forgotten. Here are our top tips for your locking up routine:
1: Garden. First things first, taking a walk around your garden would be very beneficial to making sure your home is safe at night. We’ve spoken before on why keeping your shed safe is vital to your overall home security, but it is also important to ensure that any tools or equipment left out in the garden are locked away at the end of the day. Your shed cannot protect your power tools if they are not in it! Make a habit of checking your garden every night just in case. Similarly if you have a garden gate why not check it’s closed, it will give your house the added impression of being locked up and may help deter potential burglars.
2: Windows. When locking up your house at night, don’t forget the windows! According to statistics, 33% of burglars will enter through a window, and 8% will be because it was open or could be pushed open. Even a small window could put your home at risk as there have been several reports of thieves using children to squeeze in to small spaces and gain entry. Make sure to also draw all curtains and blinds to stop any prying eyes from using torches to look in to your home.
3: Car. In 8% of burglaries in 2012/13 car keys were stolen, and in 6% of cases the vehicle was also taken. There are numerous ways for a thief to steal a vehicle: using tools to reach through the letterbox and retrieve keys left near the door (letterbox burglary); or the car simply being left unlocked, allowing for a thief to potentially jumpstart it; or stealing the keys in a traditional burglary. Keep your car safe by making sure it is locked at all times, off the road if possible, and all keys out of sight.
4: Alarms and Lights. If you have any burglar alarms or security lights installed in your home, it is important to use theme every single night. Get into the habit of checking and turning them on right before you go to bed for a sound nights sleep. You can almost guarantee that the night you forget will be the night that someone decides to break in!
5: Doors. Central to all home security advice is, of course, to make sure your doors are locked! Not only this but taking extra precautions such as purchasing door chains and anti-snap locks can seriously improve your home security. In addition, statistics show that in a third of all burglaries, access was gained from the back of the house, meaning that you must not neglect your back/side door in your locking up routine.
We hope these tips have been useful! If you have any concerns about your home security please do not hesitate to call LockRite on 0800 0612 677 for a security survey.
