As it’s National Home Security Month, we’re sharing some top tips from the Police to help you battle break-ins!

Just taking these simple steps can make a big difference in keeping your home safe from burglary:

• Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you’re just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn key)
• Close doors to communal blocks behind you and avoid holding doors open for people waiting to come into the building when you’re on your way out.

• Hide all keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the letterbox (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox)
• Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied
• Make sure the fences around your garden are in good repair and that side/rear gates are kept locked
• Keep ladders and tools stored away; don’t leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home
• Improve the natural surveillance at the front of your property i.e. trim high hedges
• Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows

Keys

Following a recent spate of house keys being lost, we would also like to take this opportunity to remind you to keep your keys safe when you’re out and about and to store any spare sets separately, rather than on the same keyring!