07/04/2010
GUARD AGAINST BURGLARY WITH SAS FIRE AND SECURITY’S EXPERT ADVICE
Householders are being urged to take action to deter domestic theft by home security expert SAS Fire and Security. The UK’s number one installer of home security systems has identified simple guidelines that the public can implement to prevent burglary and ensure peace of mind.
In a bid to encourage the public to be extra vigilant about protecting their homes from the opportunist thief, SAS Fire and Security has published ten top tips on how best to protect your property against burglary.
The onset of summer sees an increase in the rate of house burglary, with many people away on holiday and a more relaxed attitude to security. By leaving windows and doors ajar, homeowners leave their property more vulnerable to intrusion.
“A burglar will seize the opportunity which presents the fewest obstacles and the least chance of detection to carry out the crime,” said Steve Wilson, commercial director of SAS Fire and Security.
Steve added: “Burglary is still a major cause of upset to UK homeowners, yet home security is something that many do not consider until it is too late. Following our advice could mean the difference between keeping your property safe and losing thousands of pounds in goods.”
Hoping to increase awareness of home security techniques and to help homeowners avoid becoming a crime statistic, SAS Fire and Security recommends that the following is taken into account:
1. Ensure that at least one room is lit when a home is empty. The main door should be well lit and security lights should be fitted to the boundary walls of your home.
2. Either remove or prune all trees, hedges and shrubbery to no more than one metre high. This will allow for natural surveillance from neighbours opposite and passers-by. Also, maintain back and front gardens so that landscaping provides maximum visibility to and from your home. Tree limbs should also be trimmed to prevent thieves from climbing into windows. Ensure ladders have been put away and secured properly.
3. Fit a gate to the side of the house topped with some trellis and take it up to at least 2.4 metres in height. The garden fence should also be topped with trellis and intertwined with some form of hostile planting at those vulnerable spots.
4. Cancel milk and papers if you are going away and don’t leave notes in the letterbox saying the keys are next door. Get a neighbour to push the mail through the letterbox and preferably out of sight.
5. Close and lock your doors and windows! Most burglaries occur because windows have been left open or doors left unlocked. All windows and doors should be locked whenever a house is left empty, if possible using deadbolts. In addition, don’t leave keys under doormats or above doorways, as this makes it easier for burglars to get into your home.
6. Don’t leave valuables in sight through windows where potential burglars can see them. If you must leave items such as computers in view, invest in net curtains or blinds to obscure the view from outside.
7. Join your local Neighbourhood Watch Group and look out for each other. Your local crime prevention officer can point you in the right direction.
8. Install peepholes so you can first identify visitors before opening the front door, as safety chains can be broken. In addition, ask for identification from all service representatives especially if you’re not expecting them.
9. Invest in a monitored home security system as these are an effective deterrent against crime.
10. Make sure your home doesn’t look deserted when you are away:
- Use timers to turn on and off lights
- Never leave an answering machine message indicating you’re not at home
- Leave a car in the drive, if possible. If not, ask a neighbour to leave their car in the driveway
- Leave the radio tuned to a speaking channel e.g. Radio 4, as it gives the impression that someone’s in
- Leave your curtains parted so your house doesn’t have an empty look.
Ends.
Issued by Beattie Communications, www.beattiegroup.com, on behalf of SAS Fire and Security.
