July 2022
In the space of a year, there are an average of 1.3 million burglaries in the UK. Being the victim of a home burglary can leave a huge financial strain on people, with each household estimated to face losses of at least £3,000 as a result of being burglarised. With the financial strain on UK households expected to continue late into 2022, many people will be looking for ways to cut costs, but that should not be a reason to skimp on CCTV and intruder alarm systems to secure your home.
At Lynx Fire and Security, we have put together a selection of simple, and sometimes painfully obvious tips to deter thieves from targeting your home.
Lock your windows and doors
As mentioned in a previous article, this is often an overlooked part of home security, but ensuring that all of your windows and doors are securely locked before heading out for the day is a crucially important step to deterring home burglaries.
Announce your exit
Whether you live alone, or are one of the last to leave your house for the day, it is always a good idea to announce that you are leaving, or even say something such as “goodbye!” when you close the door for the day. Something as simple as this could deter potential thieves in the area from marking the house by giving the impression that your home is still occupied.
Close curtains and blinds
This is often debated within the security industry, but closing curtains or blinds can be an excellent tactic to deterring burglaries, as it limits the accessibility people have to seeing valuable items in the house. However, some people have also argued the fact that having curtains and blinds closed while being out of the house can actually be used to aid home burglaries, as it obscures any home invaders from the view of people passing by the house.
Keep your TV on
If you do decide to keep your curtains and blinds open, then ensuring that your home looks occupied should be high on the agenda. One of the quickest ways to do this is to leave your TV on, as it looks like someone is in the home. However, it’s understandable that it may not be financially feasible to leave your TV on for the entire duration of the working day.
Break down your boxes
We’ve all heard the saying ‘one man’s trash, another man’s treasure’, but did you know that by leaving boxes intact outside your house, it can potentially make a thief’s job a lot easier? The box for that new HD television? - Placing that outside as it is means that you may as well install a neon sign that screams ‘new TV here!’. Doing something as simple as taking the time to break down any boxes or packaging and placing them inside bags or bins can go a long way in any efforts to deterring burglaries.
Service your intruder alarm system
Maintenance checks on intruder alarm systems can often slip under the radar, with many people working under the assumption that once installed, the systems will be guaranteed to work for its lifespan. Carrying out a yearly service check on your security system can offer you peace of mind that if the worst were to happen, your security system is functioning at full capacity.
At Lynx, we offer an annual maintenance service, starting from just £75 a year. To find out more about our services, get in contact with us by calling 0800 998 1303, or emailing [email protected].
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