8 Great Home Security Tips (At Christmas)
Christmas is just around the corner and as usual its one of the busiest times of the year for burglars!! In my role as Locksmith Winchester I am regularly called out, during the festivities, to change locks and make secure homes of those broken into, or fearing a break in. If there is a good time to be burgled, then it isn't during the Christmas break. It is distressing and costly for families concerned. According to Confused.com, the 10 most commonly stolen items (see below) are all things that are often bought around Christmas time.
- Bicycles
- Mobile phones
- Power tools
- Laptops and Tablets
- Cameras
- Golfing Equipment
- Gardening Tools
- Audio equipment
- TVs
Keep Your Home Secure
To avoid this happening to you, here are my top tips to keep your home secure this Christmas:
Lock Your Doors
Your average burglar is a out and out chancer! He (or she) will enter homes through poorly secured, or unlocked doors. Make sure your locks are up to the job. Read our recent post for more information on how to check this.
Christmas Presents
The temptation is to place beautifully wrapped presents under the tree ready for the kids to open on Christmas Day. If possible this is definitely one to avoid if your tree can be seen through the window from the street. Don’t give the opportunist burglar any chance of ruining your Christmas. Keep all your presents out of sight and away from a window.
Christmas Lighting
Invest in some high quality exterior lighting and if possible trim back your hedges and large plants. This may may increase the difficulty for potential intruders to attempt a break in at your property without being seen.
Lock Your Windows
Make sure that all your windows are kept locked at all times. Ensure that any ground floor windows have key operated locks. Equally, never leave keys in the backs of doors and always store keys out of sight. This might sound bonkers but some burglars have been caught using makeshift fishing rods with magnets on the end, placed through the letterbox to fish for keys.
Keys
Never leave a spare key under a plant pot or pebble at the front of your house. If you or one of your family are in the habit of losing or forgetting keys then either leave an emergency spare key with a trusted neighbour or invest in a good quality key safe
Social Media
Try to resist the urge to share information about the gifts you have bought or plans for Christmas on social media. Some insurance companies may refuse to pay out following a break-in if they can prove a homeowner was not careful enough. Advertising your new possessions or upcoming trips away online can be seen as irresponsible.
Common Sense
Your burglars love those empty properties, so if you plan to be away over the festivities, ask a neighbour if they will keep an eye on your home e.g. collect the mail and clear any snow from the path etc. It is also worth investing in some timers so that you can set lights and TV/radio to switch on and off at different times during the day.
Neighbourhood Watch
Join or start a neighbourhood watch scheme. There is plenty evidence out there that suggests that they can reduce crime by increasing the general surveillance in an area. Simples!
Locksmith Winchester would like to wish all our customers a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year. However, if you are unfortunate and need our locksmith services during this time, we are still available 24 hours 7 days a week.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch or give us a call on 01962 690072
