Home Security for the festive period

Crime statists show that criminal activity increases during the Christmas period as homes are full of expensive gifts or left unattended for a few days. During the festive period home owners should take a minute to consider how secure their home and contents are. These security tips highlight the security flaws that criminals look for when scouting for potential targets.

How secure does the property look? 

Thieves will always look for an easy entry and exit route, if they cannot readily see an easy way in, they will bypass your home and choose an easier target. Making your home look secure is therefore vitally important. Doors and windows that appear old and un-cared for will give the impression of a poorly maintained house and a potential target, all external doors should be fitted with high security door locks and all windows should be fitted with a key operated lock.

An untidy garden can also give the impression of an unloved house, thick bushes can be used as hiding places for crooks and any unsecured items in the garden could be used to access the property, always put away or lock up garden items such as ladders, these could be used to gain access to an upstairs window.

If you do go away for Christmas, ensure that any deliveries are cancelled, these can be a dead giveaway that no one is home. Royal Mail offers a post holding service called Keepsafe™ , this facility holds onto mail for a pre-set period of time, so instead of letting your post and parcels build up let Royal Mail keep hold of them.

Good Lighting 

External lights with motion sensors can be used at the front of a property, these will come on when the house is approached. Security lights can also be used to illuminate dark corners that could be potential hiding spots for intruders looking to break into a property. There are now many solar powered lights that can be easily fitted without the need of an electrician. Internal lights can also be used to good effect, giving off the impression that people are at home, light timers can be used to switch a light on when it gets dark.
Cables for Christmas lights should never be fed through an open window, instead install an external power socket.

Home Safes

Small home safes that can be hidden away are now popular security items for many households, important and valuable items can be securely stored in the safe. During the festive period it can be a good idea to store gift receipts in a safe, that way if the worst was to happen, you still have proof of purchase and value. Small key safes are now being used to good effect to protect keys for other parts of the house and vehicle keys. If someone were to gain access to your home, any keys that are left in the ‘key pot’ would allow easy entry to other locked parts of the home. Car keys can also be stored within small key safes, if a thief was to gain access to your home, car keys left unsecured give the criminal easy access to your vehicle as well.

Social Media

Thieves have started to use social media as a method to find out when properties will be vacant, it is therefore essential not to give this information away. Check your social media setting and make sure that only friends and family can see your updates, better still, not advertise that you will be away for a few days. This point is also valid when posting pictures of the brand new bike you received for Christmas, this could be an advert to an offender that you have a new valuable item stored within your property.

Remember, stay safe over Christmas, have a great time with family and friends and look out for others that are vulnerable or alone.

This article has been supplied by the locktrader team, check out their website www.locktrader.co.uk supplying low cost locks and security for the home.