Are You Advertising Your Home To Thieves?

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Burglars are very particular as to which properties they choose to break into. Most burglars want an easy target and they will scan a property for obvious security flaws whilst looking for tell-tale signs that no-one is home. Here are just a few ways in which you could be advertising your home to burglars without knowing and what you can do to fix this.

Visible valuables

The most obvious way in which you’ll attract burglars is by flaunting your valuables. Make sure that passers-by can’t see your TV or computer through your window. Avoid putting your TV in front of your window and try distorting the view into your windows. You could do this through frosted glass or by simply hanging up net curtains – both options allow privacy, whilst still letting the sunlight in. If you’ve just got a new TV, you may even want to be careful of where you put the cardboard box – leaving it outside your home will tell burglars that you’ve just bought a new TV.

It’s worth also considering you garden valuables. Lawnmowers, barbecues and bikes are some of the most popular items to get burgled – make sure that these are locked away in a shed when not is use and not left out in plain sight.

Damaged windows/doors

A broken window or a flimsy door frame will stand out as an easy point of entry. Make sure that any damage to windows and doors is repaired. It could even be worth investing in some replacement windows made out of a sturdier material. You could try opting for uPVC frames with locks and reinforced glass. Multiple small panes can also be harder to break into than one large pane. As for doors, consider replacing any old doors with new reinforced doors. Make sure that the frames are also sturdy – there’s not point investing in a secure door if the flame is flimsy.

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Piled up mail

Visible piled up mail will tell burglars that no-one has been at the property for a while. Glass doors are a big giveaway, so consider going for something opaque. If you like having a glass front door to let the light in, consider getting someone you trust to go around your home every so often and collect up the mail so that it’s not piling up on the doormat whilst you’re away. The same applies to overstuffed mailboxes.

Social media oversharing

Think twice before sharing those vacation snaps. Burglars are now starting to use social media to pick their targets, finding people that are on holiday so that they can target their home safe in the knowledge that they won’t be there. Unless you’ve got someone to house-sit your home, avoid sharing vacation photos until you get back. You certainly don’t want to be broadcasting the dates that you’re away. Also, be careful of uploading lots of pictures of your home’s interior – the odd photo won’t do any harm, but photos of every room as you’ve just moved in could give burglars ideas.

No exterior lighting

The majority of burglaries like to operate in the dark – this gives them less chance of being seen by someone. Installing exterior lighting could help to keep your home illuminated at night and make it harder to break in unseen. Motion sensing exterior lighting is the most popular – it will save you power compared to permanent lighting. Place lighting in key locations where burglars are most likely to try and enter such as your back door or the fence near the end of your garden.   

High hedges

High hedges may stop passers-by peering in, but they can also make it easy for a burglar to break into your home undetected by offering a barrier to hide behind. If you’ve got a high hedge or a high wall outside your home, consider getting lowered or removed entirely so that the front of your home can still be seen. Passers-by should be able to see your doors and windows, just not inside them.

 

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