What makes your home an easy target for burglars over Christmas
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With Christmas just around the corner, many of us will be planning to travel to stay with loved ones for the festive season – but unfortunately, burglars are also making plans, but for very different reasons.
Burglaries often rise over Christmas, when houses across the country are left empty while homeowners are celebrating with their families, costing the UK approximately £7.8 million in stolen Christmas presents.
So without setting up elaborate Home Alone-style traps before you travel for Christmas, how can you make sure your property stays secure? My Local Toolbox founder Adam Clark reveals what makes your home and garden an easy target for burglary, and gives his top tips to minimise the risk of break-ins.
NO OUTDOOR SECURITY
From damaged fences that provide easy access to the garden to no outdoor lighting, making
it easier to hide, not having any visible outdoor security is a green flag to potential burglars. Just a motion-sensor light, or a sign advertising the use of CCTV (even if it’s not really there!) could be enough to make potential burglars think twice about breaking in, and keep your home safe.
YOUR SECURITY IS PREDICTABLE
Smart lightbulbs that turn themselves on and off are a great idea to give the illusion that the home isn’t empty, but if your home is being watched, having lights go on at 5pm on the dot every evening is a strong indication that they’re turning on automatically, not by someone in the house. Leaving curtains open for the duration of your time away obviously makes it easier for criminals to see inside the property, but having them closed all day is also a clear sign that no-one is home.
YOU’RE MAKING IT OBVIOUS
Christmas brings a lot of post, from deliveries being left on the doorstep, to Christmas cards piling up on the doormat – but if these are left for too long, it’s another strong indication to criminals that nobody has been home for a while. There are also signs that might be obvious to burglars, but less obvious to homeowners, like leaving the bins out past collection day or not putting the bins out at all, especially at Christmas when there is often a lot of rubbish.
YOUR WI-FI ISN’T SECURE
If your Wi-Fi isn’t secure, it can be an open door to tech-savvy criminals – often without them even needing to enter your home. They can exploit your network to gather sensitive information, disable security systems, track your activity and learn about your habits to see when you’ll be away, and even track your internet usage to see what kind of high-value Christmas presents could be waiting for them inside.
TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR HOME AND GARDEN SAFE
ASK A NEIGHBOUR
If you know a trusted neighbour will be home for Christmas, ask them if they wouldn’t mind parking their car on your drive every now and then, to give the illusion that people are home and going in and out, if your house is being watched. Ask them to take in parcels that are left outside, go in to pick up post that’s piling up on the doormat, or even move your bins.
SECURE THE GARDEN
Make sure fences are secure, with no broken panels or weak locks on gates. Invest in sturdy padlocks for sheds and garages, as having them unsecured not only means that things like ladders and expensive tools can be stolen, but they can also be used to gain access to your home. Consider painting walls and fences with anti-climb paint to make it harder to get in.
OTHER METHODS OF SECURITY
CCTV isn’t the only security system. Even the type of driveway you have can deter burglars; for example, a gravel driveway is more of a deterrent than concrete, as the sound of the crunching footsteps can alert you to the presence of unwanted visitors. While you’re away from home, that crunching sound is something you could ask the trusted neighbours to listen out for, so consider the cost of a new driveway versus the physical and emotional cost of a burglary!
DON’T FORGET ABOUT SMALLER ENTRY POINTS
In addition to double checking the doors and windows before you leave, make sure smaller entry points are secure too, like pet doors and your letterbox. Burglars might not be able to climb through, but these can be used to access keys on nearby hooks, or manipulate locks from the outside.
