A recent report for England and Wales has confirmed a total of 427,435 burglaries in England and Wales for the year ending September 2018. So, what can we do to protect and prevent ourselves from experiencing this type of ordeal?
Firstly, most of these break-ins happen between 10am and 3pm when the majority of people would be out. Therefore, the initial thing to check is that you have fully locked all your doors and windows and you have not left any windows open, especially on the ground floor.
Glass is the weak spot in your home and garage. Although impressive floor to ceiling windows are becoming increasingly popular you may find you feel over exposed and vulnerable. Windows in quiet areas of a house such as a utility room are also vulnerable. A strong, clear security window film can act as a secondary defence as it can prevent or significantly delay an intruder breaking through. They also have the added benefit of filtering 99% of UV light. Another window film option is a one-way reflective film which is particularly ideal for garages to prevent people seeing what you have inside.
It has previously been reported that most burglars are looking for an empty home and would rather avoid confrontation. The Independent reported that “eighty-six per cent of thieves do all they can to avoid bumping into the occupant”. So, with this understanding it would make sense to ensure the house looks occupied. This could be with a couple of lights and the radio on and the curtains drawn before you leave for the evening.
If you are happy to spend some money on your home's security a monitored alarm system can be a worthwhile investment. A monitored system ensures the services respond to the intrusion, rather than relying on neighbours to act. When asked in a survey by the University of North Carolina, about 60% of convicted burglars said they would avoid a property with an alarm system which is a good reason to have a large branded 'bell box' attached to the external of the property, to act as a deterrent.
Lastly, the police have advised we avoid discussing holiday plans on social media sites. They go on to explain that burglars can use any information you post on there to their advantage. Even with all your privacy settings checked, it is still probably best to keep your future plans off the internet, just in case.
You can read more about prevention methods recommended by the Police at https://www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/burglary/
For more information on security and privacy window films contact us at sales@pmxcoatings.co.uk or 02380 000250