Protecting your
Home
There are a number of simple actions you can take
to protect your home. Nobody wants to suffer from crime,
yet thousand of people in the UK fall prey crime because
they do not follow a number of simple precautions to
protect their property.
Here at the Protect Homes web site we have compiled
a simple to follow program of actions you can take to
ensure that you home remains secure.
Doors
All external doors should have deadlocks (type of lock
which can only be opened by key) with a 5 lever mortise
deadlock. Locks on all door should at least conform
to BS3261 standards. This is recognised through the
British Standard Kite Mark.
A rim latch (Yale) lock will not suffice on its own.
Deadlocks are essential for doors with glazed panels
as these are naturally less secure than solid doors
and represent an opportunity for thieves. It is possible
to toughen glass panels with laminated glass, whereby
two pieces of glass are bonded together with laminate.
Doors which only lock from the inside should also be
fitted with bolts. Remember it is no good having a strong
lock if the door itself (especially the hinges) are
weak.
Always check the woodwork to see if it rotten.
Patio doors leading to the house are particularly vulnerable
and additional security locks should be fitted. Letter
boxers are also a viable means for criminals to gain
access to your property, and should be located at least
400mm from the door's lock.
Windows
A weak window represents one the most viable entry points
for a criminal.
Key operated locks should always be fitted on windows.
Always try and fit locks which secure frames together,
rather than securing handle or lock grip bars.
A simple test for the type of lock which which is screwed
to the window rather than the frame is to check if there
is any movement. If the window moves at all then additional
locks will be required to secure the window. In the
event that you intend to replace any windows, ensure
that they meet the standards of the new British Standard
7950 kite mark.
Keys
Never leave keys sitting in a lock. This goes for windows
and doors.
Never leave keys hidden within proximity to your property
in the event of an emergency. If you know your secret
hiding place, then so will a thief. Instead leave keys
with a close friend or neighbour.
Make
sure that any improvements you make don't stop you from
getting
out of your house as quickly as possible if there is
a fire.
Garden
Security Advice
Your garden, as well as your house, has valued possessions
that thieves would love to steal. It also has equipment
that could help them break into your house.
Most burglars are lazy. They look for easy ways of getting
into a house or garden. By taking a few simple precautions
you can reduce the risk of being burgled and make your
house and garden more secure.
Natural protection -
Hedges etc
One of the best ways to keep thieves out is to use
nature's own defence mechanisms to stop intruders. A
barrier of prickly hedge may be all the protection you
need around your property. Thorny shrubs planted beneath
vulnerable windows on the ground floor can also deter
the burglar, or at least hinder his attempts to break-in
and keep intruders from seeing in through the ground
floor windows.
For your convenience we have listed (to the right of
this page) some hedging plants we recommend for protecting
your property. These varieties all have rather viscious
thorns and make a good, dense, barrier to deter intruders.
Put away all tools and equipment and ensure that all
outside sheds and store cupboards are securely locked
when not in use. Bring the tools inside if you do not
have a garden shed or outbuilding. Use plant protection
- such as thorny shrubs. Install outside security lighting,
which comes on automatically. If you have a burglar
alarm, why not extend it to cover outbuildings and sheds?
Photograph valuable garden plants or ornaments. Mark
your property with your postcode. This makes stolen
property easier to trace and it can be positively identified
as yours.
Check that your household insurance policy covers theft
from your garden and outbuildings.
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