7 ways to keep your house secure this autumn
Did you know that Halloween and Bonfire Night sees a spike in home burglaries? B&Q has collaborated with ex-detective Peter Bleksley to offer his top tips on keeping our homes safe.
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Amazingly, new research shows that home burglaries increase by a third when the clocks go back. It’s important with Halloween and Bonfire Night approaching that we’re more aware of methods to deter these events from occuring. Ex-Scotland Yard detective and former star of Channel 4’s ‘Hunted’, Peter Bleksley has teamed up with B&Q to share his advice.
1. Look at your home as an outsider
We can quickly become immune to weaknesses in our security and unless you find yourself in the situation of having to find a way in after being locked out, it’s unlikely you’ll truly look at your home the way an intruder might. Save yourself the drama and have a friend look around the outside of your home and see if they can spot any easy ways in.
2. Create a smart home
Invest in smart security cameras that can connect to a smartphone, tablet or camera so you can see and hear what’s happening inside and outside of your home, when you are not there.
3. Video doorbell
A smart video doorbell is a great idea as it lets you view, listen and speak to visitors even when you’re not at home. They are also handy if you want to check who is at the door before you open it.
4. Sensor lighting
Intruders like to be under the cover of darkness, so smart, motion sensor outdoor lighting is a brilliant deterrent.
5. Unfriendly garden
Not all home security has to make your home look like a fortress. A beautiful yet thorny rose bush planted underneath the window can do wonders to deter unwanted guests, and installing a gravel drive is a simple yet effective way to ensure that you are alerted to the sound of someone approaching the house.
6. Secure the car
Our cars are one of the highest value items we have around our homes and yet we all just leave them on the drive for any would be thief to see and size up. We might not all have the luxury of a garage but driveaway security posts or bollards can act as both a visual and physical deterrent.
7. Don’t hide valuables in the bedroom
The master bedroom is known by burglars as the room where valuables are kept. We need to be savvier and stash cash or smaller valuables somewhere unexpected like the top cupboard of your child’s bedroom, in a safe that is secured inside an unassuming cupboard or under the floorboards.
Do you have any home security tips? Let us know on social! Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.