Top 10 tips for securing your home

Your house is often the most expensive thing you’ll buy and because you fill it with your most treasured possessions it’s only natural that you want to keep it secure.

As a trusted locksmith in Doncaster we have over 20 years of experience in home and lock security. Follow our 10 top tips for securing your home to deter burglars and keep your family and belongings safe.

1. Don’t provide cover

Try to avoid having tall or large trees and shrubs around your doors and windows – they could potentially create a great place for a burglar to hide whilst trying to gain access to your home.

2. Look through the burglar’s eyes

Look at your house and compare it to surrounding properties. Does yours stand out from the rest? If you have the newest car on the street or expensive patio furniture on display this could give a burglar an idea of what potential valuables are inside.

3. Install good exterior lights

Surrounding your home with good outdoor motion lighting can alert both you and your neighbours to an intrusion, and make a burglar think twice about attempting a break-in.

4. Get your doors up to scratch

Ensure your access doors are secure and comply with the latest standards, and avoid any that have glass near the doorknob or within reach of it. Many people concentrate their efforts on the front door and forget about the back – this is often the door which will be targeted as it is out of the way of neighbours.

5. Make it look like you’re home

This is especially important if you are going away. Use lights on timers or leave a couple switched on, and consider the positioning of your curtains – it will be obvious to burglars that you are away if they are always drawn during the day. Cancel the milk and papers as well.

6. Look out for any observers

Burglars will often carefully observe a particular neighbourhood before they rob it. They will be looking for any clear patterns in yours and your neighbours’ schedules. Be aware of this and keep a look out for any strangers in the neighbourhood. Some of the clever thieves keep a book with notes on each homeowners movements at different types of the day and night.

7. Don’t forget about windows

Burglars are opportunists so even just one window left slightly open for a short period of time could attract them in. Make sure there is no easy way to get in by closing all windows and locking all doors every time you leave the house – even if you’re just nipping to the local shop. A high percentage of theft is done through an unlocked door, make sure your’s are always locked.

8. Hide your belongings

Burglars love to have a nice peak inside your windows to see if they can spot anything worth breaking in for. Make it difficult for them to shop your rooms by using privacy blinds or net curtains to hide your belongings. Do not leave keys, mobile phones, handbags and wallets on display. it’s too tempting for the casual thief to resist.

9. Don’t leave keys on view

So many people leave car and house keys on display without realising. Burglars may break through a window to access your keys so that they can easily open doors to get larger items out of your home. And it goes without saying but don’t ever leave your keys outside your house – especially under the doormat, bin or plant pot!

10. Upgrade cylinder locks

UPV doors are vulnerable to a break-in technique called ‘lock snapping’ due to their pre-installed profile cylinder locks. Lock snapping is on the increase in the Doncaster area and we recommend upgrading to anti-snap locks.