Five foundation principles for crime prevention
Posted on 4th February 2022
According to the Office of National Statistics more than three quarters of burglars come in through your door. Two in 10 come through a window.
Here are five things for you to think about that will help you to recognise weak or vulnerable points in your home and improve your security and safety.
One: Deterrence
While some burglaries are planned, most take place when criminals see an opportunity, so there are some important steps you can take to deter them. For example, you can:
use timer switches to make your house look occupied when you’re away by automatically turning on lights or a radio
criminals don’t want to be seen, so report any broken streetlights
have security lights installed and regularly check they are in working order
make sure that alarm bell boxes, security signs, CCTV, and doorbell cameras can be seen easily to make it clear that you take security seriously
deter antisocial behaviour by keeping the areas around your property free from waste and report fly tipping to your local council so that they can remove it and monitor the area. If you have alleys or paths by your property always report any antisocial behaviour.
Two: Protection
It isn’t easy to see things from a burglar’s perspective, but here are some things you can do:
slow criminals down by making it harder to access your property
make sure all your doors and windows have good quality locks and consider fitting sash jammers near your windows or door frames to provide an extra level of security against forced entry
lock away your ladders, and keep wheelie bins and anything else that a burglar could climb on to access higher windows away from your property
don’t leave tools out in the open that could be used to break windows
join Neighbourhood Watch or another similar programme to keep aware of current issues and to deter crime in your area
with the increasing trend of pet theft have them microchipped and make sure their details are up to date.
Three: Physical security
Take a fresh look at the environment around your property to find ways to improve safety.
high hedges or fences at the front of your property could allow criminals to work without being seen so consider lowering your front boundaries to allow your neighbours to see your property
on the other hand, high hedges and fencing at the rear can prevent thieves from seeing anything to tempt them and will reduce their access to your property
forensic marking will clearly identify your property when an ultraviolet light is used or through DNA testing so that criminals can be identified and anything that is stolen can be returned to you more easily
take photographs of your jewellery, electrical goods and treasures or any other valuable items and register them with Immobilise.
Four: Habits and routines
Criminals can take advantage of your regular routines, daily patterns, and habits. Here are some things you can do.
avoid leaving car keys, handbags, purses, wallets, and laptops where they can be seen easily from outside; consider storing them in a cupboard or container, out of sight
lock your doors when you’re gardening or putting out your bins for collection
make sure everyone thinks about locking windows and doors when leaving the house and at night.
Five: Instal a security system
Alarms and CCTV systems will deter criminals and are useful if someone does attempt to enter your property.
consider having an intruder alarm system fitted to protect your property, provide a visible deterrent, and give an audible warning of an intruder
instal CCTV and doorbell cameras that will work well with your intruder alarm to provide a visual record of any incident.
We will be happy to provide a free security audit of your property and give you some advice, so please get in touch.
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