A burglary happens every 40 seconds in the UK, and this statistic is feared to be on the rise. This is why it is so worrying just how many UK homeowners are not paying close enough attention to what security measures they have in place and how they can be improved to help protect against potential intruders.
Most Burglaries Happen During The Day – When you think about burglaries most of the time you would imagine someone sneaking around in the middle of the night unnoticed, however most burglaries actually occur between the hours of 10:00am – 3:00pm so caution is advised throughout the day as well. Burglaries are most common during the day time as this is when most people are out at work and there is last chance of a burglar being noticed or disturbed.
Burglars Don’t Want Household Items – In today’s society it is rare for a burglar to want to steal a tv or sound system. These days thieves are looking for smaller much more valuable items such as car keys and personal identity information. It is more beneficial for a burglar to take personal documents, passports, laptops and bank cards so that the personal information can be stolen and used to buy items online and even get credit, than it is to take tv’s and other similar items. With this said it is worth keeping valuables such as jewellery stored safely out of sight.
Most Burglars Don’t Carry Tools – Burglars are opportunists so will walk around looking for the perfect house to target, they know exactly what to look for to make it as easy as possible to get in and out of a property quickly. As burglars want to stay unnoticed and have a quick getaway, they don’t often carry tools and equipment to break-in. In most cases they use tools or other items they find around your home, such as gardening tools, so it is vital that you always put tools and equipment away and keep garages and sheds securely locked at all times.
47% of Burglaries Are Done Without Planning – Most convicted burglars reveal that most of burglaries they carried out were done with a split-second decision after seeing an opportunity. This is why having visible home security measures will help deter burglars as they won’t see your home as an easy target as they are walking past.
Most Burglaries Committed Are By People Living Close To You – This is a stark reality, but in most burglary cases the offender will live within 2 miles from the targeted home. It is great having neighbours you can trust, however you need to be mindful of who may be watching and learning your daily routine. You can reduce risk by varying your routine as much as possible so that your movements aren’t as predictable and there is no clear time that you home will be empty and for how long. It also helps to keep information about trips and holidays you are taking as quite as possible until you have returned.
In around 28% Of Burglaries Someone is Home – You may think that if your house is always occupied there is less chance of you being burgled, but in around 3 in every 10 burglaries there is someone at home whist it has been committed! It will help to keep doors and windows locked even when you are in the house as burglars will often try a door to see if it open and simply walk right in!
Here at Elvidge Gribble Locksmiths we strive to help our customers feel as safe and secure in their properties as possible, this is why we offer free home security assessments and advice, and will only fit high security locks that either meet or exceed insurers minimum security requirements.
If you need home security advice or just need help upgrading your current security measures, then contact Elvidge Gribble Locksmiths today – 01566 773285
