Inexpensive Ways to Theft-Proof Your Home

While Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also rife with crime. The festive season is a prime opportunity for thieves who know that excited buyers will be stocking up on all kinds of goodies for their nearest and dearest.

However, while Christmas may leave your wallet feeling a little lighter, you don’t need to spend a fortune to keep burglars at bay. We’ve taken a look at some of the most inexpensive way to secure your home this festive season and beyond!

PROTECT YOUR HOME

Motion detector lighting

Whether you have a porch, balcony, terrace or garden, put motion detector lights everywhere – they’re a proven crime deterrent! Available from as little as £15 both online and in popular hardware stores, you can purchase versions that best suit your abode, whether they’re battery operated, plugged into a power supply or run off solar power.

Door and window alarms

You may think that you’ll have to break the bank to set up your own security system, but that doesn’t need to be the case; simply purchase a couple of wireless alarms that are activated by the opening of doors and windows. Yes, these cheaper alternatives may not provide the same level of security as their pro-installed counterparts but they will make noise and if there’s anything that burglars hate, it’s noise!

Secure sheds with screws

You may think that your shed or outhouse is safe but a clever thief can easily bypass a lock simply by utilising a standard toolkit to remove hinges and exposed screws. However, you can actually buy tamper-proof security screws that require specialist tools to remove rather than an ordinary screwdriver.

Pick-proof your dead bolt

Burglars will have their own tactics to gaining entry to your home. Some will smash windows or put pressure on doors, while others will pick locks. To help against the latter, you can purchase a protection device which, once slid over the handle, will hold the dead bolt firmly in place.

DON’T BE A TARGET

Be cautious of customers

More and more people are making a little extra cash from their unwanted goods on seller websites and apps, however this is a prime way for thieves to scout out targets. If you’re selling something small, arrange to meet in a public area or keep buyers at the front door during the exchange. If you’re selling something bigger, bring the interested party directly to the item in question, keeping all other doors around your home closed so they can’t snoop.

Say no to strangers

This one may seem obvious but simply don’t let strangers into your home. Burglars can often pose as charity or sales workers to try and gain entry to your property, while others may act as ‘lost’ delivery drivers to try and get a sneak peek inside. If you have a spy hole, be sure to use it, and it’s always worth trying to keep your hallway clear of any valuable goods.

Be safe on social media

Whether you like to get away from the December madness for a long weekend somewhere in Europe, or stay with family at the other end of the country for weeks at a time, don’t broadcast the fact that you’re not at home on social media. All of those faraway check-in’s can cause a detrimental domino effect on your home!

Don’t advertise your home

Make your home less appealing to burglars by not advertising what you have inside. This includes having curtains open when you’re out during the day, or leaving the empty boxes for your new big screen TV or game station out by the bins; instead hold off until collection day and bring these outside when the refuse collectors are nearby. While this isn’t such an issue if you live in flats with communal bin areas, it can be a real problem if you’re in a house or ground floor home.

Get to know your neighbours

While getting to know your neighbours seems to be a lost art in the world today, these relationships are worth their weight in gold. If you’re pally with the couple next door then they’re likely to keep an eye out on your home for you (and vice versa). So, if they know you’re on holiday but see someone in your property, or spot someone moving a TV in the dead of night, the likelihood is they’ll alert the police.

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