Keeping your home secure this Christmas
With Christmas fast approaching, most of us are rushing around, buying presents and preparing for the festivities. With so much to think of, keeping your home secure is probably the last thing on your mind, even though burglaries increase dramatically in the run up to Christmas. Burglars profit from the dark nights and people being away from their homes, stealing as much as £7 million of presents.
Here are a few tips to help you keep your home secure this Christmas so you can concentrate on kicking back and enjoying the festivities.
Install CCTV
Installing CCTV is a proven method of deterring burglars from targeting your home. And it doesn’t need to be a huge system, with multiple cameras and other hardware. A few well placed cameras will deter burglars and provide you with incriminating footage should your home get burgled.
There are a range of CCTV systems on the market that will help you secure your property all year around that won’t cost the earth. With infrared and remote viewing through your phone, you can be sure your home is protected at all times.
Don’t put your presents under the tree
Burglars prowling your area are on the lookout for signs that you have been spending money on presents. You may want to get into the spirit of Christmas but presents under your tree will attract the wrong kind of attention.
Keep them hidden until Christmas eve to prevent your house being targeted. If you really want to create the Christmas feeling, wrap a few empty boxes and put them under the tree instead, so if you do get burgled, your presents are safely stashed away.
Light up your home
With errands to run, family and friends to visit and Christmas shopping to do, our schedules can get a little hectic over the Christmas holidays. And this can make your home a perfect target for burglars. A good visual deterrent is to use security lights, which are relatively cheap and easy to install, placed strategically around your property. This will put any would be burglars off and you will be able to see any movement around your property.
If you’re going away – don’t advertise the fact
Many of us travel over Christmas, whether it’s away for a few days or visiting family and friends. Because of the increase in crime rates, leaving your property few a few days can increase the likelihood of your property being targeted by burglars.
To minimise the risk, don’t post on social media that you are going away as this just advertises the fact that your home is unoccupied. You could ask a neighbour or family member to pop in, collect your mail, and spend some time in your home or even get a house sitter while you are away. You could also buy some timers for your lights, so they come on at different times during the day and evening, making your house look active.
Recycle carefully
With big and expensive presents comes big packaging which, if you leave out on the road, will just tempt burglars to target your home. Recycle your packaging carefully, breaking boxes down as much as possible to conceal your purchases. It is also a good idea to store your packaging until after Christmas to prevent burglars looking out for evidence of your spending.
If you want more information about getting CCTV installed into your home or business, please get in contact and we’ll be happy to help.