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How To Secure Your Home

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How To Secure Your Home

We spoke to the Neighbourhood Watch to find out a few tips on securing your home. Your home is probably your biggest monetary asset, so make sure it is always secure by watching this video. We spoke to the Neighbourhood Watch to find out a few tips on securing your home. Your home is probably your biggest monetary asset, so make sure it is always secure by watching this video.

Step 1: Lock down

All external doors should be fitted with adequate locks; mortice locks are ideal. See VideoJug's 'How to fit a Mortice Lock' for full instructions on how to do this. Secluded back and side doors are more commonly used by burglars than the front entrance, so pay these just as much attention, if not more. If you leave the back door open during summer it may be wise to fit a security chain, preventing unwelcome visitors.

Most thieves are opportunists, an open window makes it easy for them to reach through and grab what's at hand. Remove this temptation by closing the windows in the rooms you are not using. Every time you leave the house ensure they are securely shut, take the extra precaution to fit good locks too.

Contact the Crime Prevention Office at your local police station, they will be able to advise you on which type of lock and security measures are the most suitable for your home.

Step 2: Alarms

Burglar alarms are excellent deterrents to would be thieves. The Neighbourhood Watch Trust advises fitting the exterior alarm boxes which have blue strobe lights attached. These make it easy to identify which property has its system activated, and prompts action. The noise of the siren, although effective is not as direct, making it difficult to locate the source.

If you have a false alarm box fitted, make sure it is printed with the name of a false security firm, and a false telephone number. A blank alarm box screams 'Fake'

TOP TIP
Alarm boxes are controlled by 4 digit security numbers. Avoid picking a year as your code, it may be easy to remember but most thieves have worked this out too. Therefore they already have the 1 and 9, lowering the odds of guessing the remaining 2 digits.

Step 3: Outdoor precautions

Sensor activated lights are relatively cheap and easy to fit to the exterior of your house. They are great at deterring theft, and give you the extra security of being able to see into your garden at night.

If you have large bushes or plants obscuring the front of your house trim them back; they are the perfect cover for a thief to break in unnoticed.

Step 4: Property marking

Identification is key to having valuable property returned if it is ever stolen.

Use an Ultra Violet pen to write your postcode and house number on any larger items such as computers, TV's, DVD's and stereos. Over time the marking will fade so reapply every year. Don't forget to mark new items you may have bought in the mean time.

With delicate, or smaller items take clear, detailed photographs. Give a sense of scale by putting a ruler in shot. These photos may be useful for insurance purposes, as well as theft recovery

Step 5: Know your neighbours

Your neighbours are your biggest ally in keeping your home safe, so if you aren't acquainted with 'them next door' go and introduce yourself.

If you trust them enough give them a spare set of keys, rely on them to look after your house when you go on holiday and do the same for them.

If there isn't already a neighbourhood watch scheme in your area, take the plunge and set one up. Go to www.neighbourhoodwatch.net to see exactly how to do this. If you aren't based in the UK, look into what schemes are set up in your country.

Now you're savvy about house security go to VideoJug's 'How to secure your garden.' This will take you through the steps necessary to protect you outdoor property.

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Tips & Comments
  1. tandrace

    I also agree, a good hidden security camera is an awesome "way to go"! Just make sure the cam is hidden and if you cant afford them in several places, my first cam would start at the front entry of the home...Cams have been known to help catch those crooks and put some even behind bars where they should be. Make sure your door knobs and windows are cleaned or free from excess derbis...incase officers are able to lift fingerprint tracks if prints where left. A good dog(s) are also great to have around, make sure they are able to roam a fenced yard freely though. If guard dogs are kept inside.... what good are they caged in kennels while the thieves prowl your home. Maybe a good investment in trainning so your dogs are properly housed trainned maybe a bit useful, if they are not trusted outside the kennels. Also, refer to bite laws in your states....it's crazy how homeowners are liable for bites of some crooks. I geuss what I do is take most of the given security tips into consideration and then tailor the tips most feasible for me to use. Next Goal is to put a good security (hidden) cam in place.

  2. tandrace

    If you buy big ticke items, make sure not to put boxes by your outside garbage can it indicates to thieves what's possibly inside your home, so make sure take time to rip your boxes and place them inside of your garbage. Some thieves will ignore alarm decals or signs in the yard, yet time their jobs based on the time they think the police will arrive. They usually know, why do you think they very seldomly get caught. Also, they most likely have staged look-out partners. Sometimes it is hard to avoid thieves from seeing the big ticket items going into your home because they sometimes lurk in hideous locations watching the neighborhood. However, smaller purchases can be camouflaged into large "tote" bags or other. Usually but not always, thieves target items which they already know you have. Be careful of the guest you entertain , you may think they are acceptable but what about their friends...People sometimes innoccently, talk (small talk) aboout how impressed they maybe with your home or entertainment access to others. It would be nice if everyone's heart was always in the "right" place. It is sad today that there are people whom have declared their jobs to be lurking, prowling and specifcally preying on the gains of other hard working, law abiding citizens without a "shadow" of remorse. This is a great video and can be a great deterrence mechamism.

  3. alarmsystemsottawa

    This is a very thorough video on what to do to properly secure your home. I t is an ongoing process to keep people educated in home security. Even those with a home alarm system have to realize that home alarms are the last step in the process of keeping one;s home secure.

  5. Anonymous

    To much slack on a safety chain is bad...the shorted the more effective...listen don't fit dodgy...diy alarms like YALE...ones u can just break in and rip off the battery...the most effective way of not being robbed is not showing the world what u have! If u can't see u wont temp the opportunist theif!! Install heat sensored lights...someone won't try if they can be caught easy by being SEEN!! Hope this helps

  6. jellis533

    YOU MUST KEEP WINDOWS CLOSED AS I SEE A LOT OPEN.JOHN.ELLIS

  7. Anonymous

    Why not recommend Smart Water as a property-marking system?

  8. Anonymous

    Nobody who knows about security marking property would mark a TV on the top, where it is liable to fade in the sun, or be wiped often................

  10. dtmaddog

    Video on How to Stop Thieves from breaking into your house