If you’re finding it difficult being indoors all day and you’re running out of things to keep you occupied in Lockdown, this could be the right time for you to improve your home security. The ONS has reported a decrease in crime, and underlying this reduction were significant falls in theft offences, particularly domestic burglary and other theft of personal property. Billy Gazard from the Office for National Statistics Centre for Crime and Justice said:
“There was a significant fall in crime at the height of the coronavirus pandemic across England and Wales. This was driven by reductions in theft offences, particularly domestic burglary and theft of personal property. As this period coincided with the majority of people spending long periods at home during lockdown, it is not unexpected.”
Source: Office for National Statistics
While that’s great news, it doesn’t mean that you can afford to get too relaxed about your home security. Burglaries might be down, but they are still happening. So, if you’ve had enough of Netflix and your bread-making dreams keep collapsing in the oven, here are some tips that could keep you busy while improving your security and keeping your home safer in lockdown.
Do Your Security Checks
If you have the time, why not spend some time checking your doors and windows, making sure that the locks are secure and in working order. If you have security lights, check that these are all working too, because those lights are one of the best ways to deter opportunistic burglars. Lockdown might be keeping criminals home as much as the rest of us, but you can be sure that they’re already thinking of ways to make up for the lost time.
Locking Up While Locked Down
The fact that most of us are home all day means that burglars are far less likely to try and break-in, but if you forget your basic security, you could be a target for thieves. A change in routine means that it’s very easy to forget to check your doors and windows at night, which is something that most of us do before going to bed. When you’ve been home all day engaging in common lockdown activities like making bread or trying out a new hobby, forgetting your security basics is all too easy. Don’t forget that if you’re planning to use lockdown time to get some work done in the garden, make sure the front of your home is as secure as possible. You don’t want to head back indoors to find that you’ve had a surprise visitor while you were outside.
Get Smart & Upgrade
Being inside all day means you’ve probably got the time to start making your home security much more secure. You’ve no doubt seen the growing use of smart security systems but may have considered them to be a little bit too expensive and perhaps unnecessary for your home. That might have been true five years ago, but those smart systems are more affordable than ever. Not only will they keep your home safer from criminals who are willing to risk breaking lockdown, but it will also help to alert you if there are any other emergencies like a fire or water damage. Plus, being able to manage everything from your phone means that even if you’ve had to make a break for the shops to stock up on essentials, you know that your home is being protected in your absence. Consider Yale smart locks such as the Yale Conexis L1 and Yale Linus and security systems like the Yale Smart Home Alarm System. Our professional locksmiths are trained to install the latest smart security products from Yale.
Don’t Forget The Garden
If your garage is separate from your house or you have a shed at the bottom of your garden, you’re going to want to make sure that they’re secure too. Even if you don’t have anything of value in either, they can still be a way to convince burglars that your home defences are lax enough to justify looking closer at your house. If you do have valuables in those spaces, then make sure to give a little more thought to keep them secure. Checking the doors and the windows is a good start, but if you have a security camera system, it’s worth pointing at least one of them in the direction of your garden shed or your garage.
Digital Security
It’s not just your physical security that you need to be aware of. There’s a good chance that you’re spending more time online than you used to, and that means that you might be tempted to share more about your life than you did pre-lockdown. While it’s unlikely that you’ll be going on holiday anytime soon, criminals can use a social media post to their advantage, especially if it shows you’ve left the house for exercise.
Don’t take photos of yourself in the long queue for your local supermarket either! It doesn’t take a lot of time for an opportunistic burglar to spot where you are and work out the house is empty. Be aware of taking photos inside your house too. Your lockdown selfie might look great, but a burglar will be looking at everything in the background to see what valuables are there if they choose to target your property.
Lockdown can make it very easy to overlook basic home security. Thousands of people are looking for ways to use their time proactively. If you’re looking for something practical to do, giving your home a security makeover is something that will benefit you well into the future.
Book a locksmith
Our locksmiths are experts in home security and can help improve the security of your home during the UK Lockdown with lock upgrades, lock repairs, emergency work and more. Call us on 0800 0612 677 or visit https://www.lockrite.org to find your nearest LockRite Locksmith.
