HOME SECURITY

It is virtually impossible to protect your home from a determined burglar, but as most burglaries are carried out by opportunists there are a few things you can do to make life a bit more difficult for them.

When leaving the premises for a short time -

• Lock all external doors, windows etc.

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• Take keys out of locks and put them away.  This makes it more difficult for thieves to make a quick exit if they have made a forced entry.

 
• Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots or hanging on a string beside the letterbox.

 

• After dark, leave lights on (not just in the hallway) and close curtains.  An automatic time switch can be fitted to lights.  Leaving a radio on can also help as it gives the illusion there is someone on the premises.


 
• Keep electrical equipment out of sight whenever possible.

If you are going to be away for a longer period of time, remember the following:-

• Do not let everyone know that you are going to leave the property empty, but do tell the police.

 
• Stop deliveries of such things as newspapers, milk etc., in advance.

 
• Ask a neighbour to check regularly to ensure all letters and newspapers are pushed properly through the letterbox.

 
• If the door area is glazed, cover the glass so that any build-up of mail etc., is not evident from outside.

 
• Do not close curtains and this only advertises no-one is at home during the day.

 
• Ensure premises are securely locked, windows shut and no spare keys are left outside.

 
• Should you have any valuables, these could be taken to a bank.

 
• Be careful when labelling holiday luggage with your home address.   It has been known for unscrupulous people to hang around airports etc. taking note of addresses on luggage as this would indicate those premises will be empty for some time.

General Security

• VELCRO YOUR HOUSE KEYS. To make sure you can get out of a locked door during a fire at night, make sure your keys are handy - yet hidden. A couple of inches of stick-on Velcro will provide a patch in some hidden yet handy place very near your door, invisible to passers-by, visitors, burglars, yet instantly available to you. You don't want to be rooting through your handbag or trousers for your keys in an emergency.

 
• SOCKET REMOTES FROM B&Q; for £20 you can buy a remote control unit and a set of adaptors for three sockets. This gives you on/off control for every appliance running off the one socket. Apart from shutting down all those stand-by lights, it means that you can switch ON a light in one of your downstairs rooms. kitchen etc, when things go bump in the night. The remotes work through walls and floors, so you can have it on your bedside table.

• In addition to a couple of lights in different rooms, I always have a radio time-switched, on a mainly talk programme. I'm sure the sound of voices must be more of a deterrent to unwelcome visitors than light alone. If I can be bothered, I sometimes set two radios on different programmes, which must sound like quite a party going on from the front doorstep. No, I don't disturb the neighbours; in rooms just off the hall, they can be heard from just outside the front door even at fairly low volume.

Brenda Young

• I would like to inform you of a totally new and innovative burglary deterrent that has been launched in the United Kingdom, called Chain Reaction DNA it works on the same principles of other door security chains but if attacked automatically sounds and alarm and covers the perpetrator with a UV marker and DNA trace giving the Police the ability of placing an individual at a crime scene!

Robert Simpson

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