Festive Security Tips

Home security is important all year round, but often get forgotten about or lost in the festive spirit. Follow our top tips to stay safe and secure this Christmas
1 - Christmas lights are getting more popular as the years go on, but avoid feeding power cable through partially open windows, thieves are savvy to this and will look and target any windows that look half open
2 - Be careful of posting too much information online criminals will often search social media for any updates and posts about time away from the home looking for empty homes. Set your social media security settings, so that only friend can see your updates and avoid posting details that could identify your house.
3 - Deter would be thieves - Security lighting with motion sensor is a good deterrent, as thieves like dark homes. Security marking of possessions and the stickers on decals on the windows is another good security deterrent.
4 - Boxes and Gift Wrapping - After the big man has been on Christmas consider how you dispose of empty boxes and wrappings, if these are left on display, it would highlight to anyone passing what goodies you have inside your home
5 - Make you home look occupied - When your home is unoccupied, even for a day, it is good to make the property look as though someone is home. This can be done in a number of ways; Automatic lights that switch on during the evening, a device that mimics the flicker of a television, leaving a radio on, having a neighbour park their car on the drive, ask a neighbour to open and close curtains and move any post.
6 - Close and lock all doors and windows - This may sound very obvious, but a large majority of burglaries happen when a door or window is left unlocked. When you leave your house, even for a short period of time, please make sure that all windows are locked shut and keys are removed from the locks
7 - Sheds and garages - Outbuildings, sheds and garage are often forgotten about when thinking about home security, but will often contain high value and easy to steal items such as bikes and garden equipment. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut and locks, consider installing motion sensor security lighting and if you have a home alarm, add the outbuilding to the alarm. If the shed is difficult to secure , then futher protect the contents with a padlock and chain and if possible use a ground anchor
8 - Not hide keys - With extra visitors over the festive period, it is all too tempting to leave a key in a safe place! Please remember that if your old Auntie can find the key then so can someone else! If you really need to leave a key outside, please use a small wall mounted key safe
If you have any home or commercial security concerns, please call us on 01843 209200 where our team can offer you full security help and if needs be a home security assessment.