How to stop burglers from breaking in your home this Christmas

Convicted burglars have been recruited by a safety firm to reveal what a robber would look for if they were targeting homes this Autumn and Winter.
An ex-burglar and a home safety firm have issued advice on common mistakes people make that give robbers a fighting chance of breaking into your house.

With Autumn and Winter arriving there is alerts being issued after it was confirmed there is a 20% spike in house break-ins around this time of year.

Experts say with more people leaving home earlier and arriving later for work they can predict the increase.
And security retailers Safe have asked ex-burglars to explain what a burglar looks for in a property to steal from prior to committing the crime as well as asking victims what they have experienced.

Anthony Neary, managing director for Safe explained: “Although we’re seeing a decline in burglaries, the winter period is predicted to spike in theft, we want to ensure people feel safe and secure.

“Taking information straight from the horse’s mouth is a great way of getting a real understanding into what they look for in a property, and we hope homeowners will try our tips moving forward.”

To keep your property safe whether you’re home or away, we have listed five key things a burglar looks out for prior to breaking into a home and what you can do to up your security and reduce your risk of being a victim.

Been a target before? There’s a high chance you could be again

We’ve listed the common mistakes people make that attract burglars

Many think that once a property has been broken into that it won’t happen again – but this is actually the opposite with burglars admitting they would come back to a home they previously targeted.

One ex-burglar provided insight into visiting properties that they had been to before and told Glasgow Live : “Burglars come back to the same houses quite often.

They do this because of a number of motives. It’s guaranteed that the people they robbed replaced the stuff they stole the first time, and often these replacements are of better quality than the original.”

Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk, explained further: “As they’ve had time to assess the whole property, they know the layout of the house and can be clinical in their approach.

“Ensure that if you have been burgled, extra security measures such as CCTV , alarms and locks are in pace to prevent it happening again.”

Pack Fast To Avoid Being Caught Out

If you’re heading away on a trip – regardless of how many days – taking ages to pack might come back to bite you because the longer you take, the more chance a burglar has of seeing you and making a note that your home will be empty.

A victim explained that a burglar saw her parents loading the car to go on a ski holiday and when they got back, they realised they had been broken into.

The key? Get your car filled quick. An expert at Safe said: “When taking a trip or going on a winter break, swiftly take the luggage to the car or taxi.

“The longer you take to pack up a car, the more chance a burglar has of seeing that the homeowner is leaving the property, giving them optimum time to plan their theft, and potentially tell other people too.”

Having A Pet And A Warning Sign Outside Your Home

A neighbour to a victim’s home said that everyone in her street had been burgled – except for them. The reason they believe is due to their dog and a sign that they have outside their home.
The neighbour said that they have a dachshund and a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign on their fence – something experts say could throw burglars off.

They explained: “Having a dog is useful for two reasons. Firstly, burglars may be inclined to miss a property if they see a ‘Beware Of The Dog’ sign as a big dog threatens their safety and adds a huge risk of being caught.
“Secondly, a barking dog alerts the owners that someone is approaching the property, they detect noise quicker than humans, which gives a clear advantage.”

So even if you don’t have a dog, now might be a good time to pretend you have one.

Always Leave Your Exterior Lights On

Have you ever seen your security light go on and immediately checked out what it was? Usually it could be something innocent such as a cat, a bird or a car going past your home, however an ex-burglar admitted that they “always skip the house with big outdoor security lights.”

Anthony recommends that homeowners should turn on “all exterior lights at night where possible. A house in the dark could appeal to a burglar as it looks like nobody is in the property, and there could be an assumption that the owner is asleep or not at home.

“Any dark or shadowed areas are ideal for a burglar to try to approach the house undetected, making security lights essential in the new season.”

Never Leave Your Deliveries Or Bins Out

If you have ever left your bins out but driven away before they were emptied or asked the delivery driver to leave the parcel on your doorstep? If so, you may want to rethink doing so in future as this is a key sign for burglars to know that the home is vacant.

An ex-burglar said that homeowners should never “leave out deliveries or bins” as burglars looking around “your estate will see that and know you’re not home.”

Safe.co.uk said: “Burglars can tell if a family has gone on holiday. From full letterboxes, to forgotten milk deliveries and left out wheelie bins, the signs show that the property is vacant. If you are going away for an extended period of time, ask a trusted neighbour or friend to maintain any elements that could be an advertisement for burglars.”

Sources: dailyrecord.co.uk