Winter Home Security: Keeping Your Sanctuary Safe

Your home is a safe haven. Above all, it is the place in the world where you should be able to shut the outside world out and feel most secure. A private sanctuary where you and your family can enjoy the festive season together.

Sadly there are those who do not adhere to these ideals. Christmas is a time for giving but there are an unfortunate number of people who want to steal from you. While personal circumstances can vary from person to person, you shouldn’t be made a victim of crime especially at this time of year.

As far as we’re concerned, the only people who should be entering your home should be invited guests and family. If you’ve been well behaved this year then the big jolly guy in the red and white outfit should be welcome too; but to give rather than take.

Here’s our top tips for keeping the criminals cold outside.

Opportunity Knocks (Or Breaks In)

Almost half of all burglaries are committed by opportunistic thieves. These aren’t criminal masterminds who spend weeks casing out the best angle of entry, or even looking paying a large amount of attention to your schedule. 

Mostly it’s the simple little things that create an easy opportunity for a quick theft. Simple and easy mistakes that we’ve all made such as leaving a window open or having our keys in an easily visible or accessible place. 

By using a hook or similar piece of equipment, thieves can easily reach through your letterbox and grab anything located near your front door. Typically these are your house keys and car keys, but there’s plenty that can be obtained through this quick and simple technique called ‘key fishing’.

The Solution: 

• Be vigilant with your home security and check all windows before leaving your home. 
• Put the keys in a safe place away from your front door.

High Value Targets

Considering the risk of committing criminal activity, many will not attempt it unless they perceive something to be particularly valuable. If your windows offer a showcase of apparent wealth then this can be enough for people to start taking notice.

Something as seemingly innocuous as having your TV or other electronics on display can encourage thieves to take a second glance at your property. If they notice jewellery or watches, these are high value items that can be pawned or sold for their gold content. Handbags and wallets make for easy benefits too as cash is almost untraceable and as many cards are set up for contactless payment, they can run up a tidy bill before you get your next statement.

The most expensive thing that the average household owns is a car. For most cars, stealing the key means that they have unimpeded access to the vehicle and can use it to load up on your valuables and make a quick getaway. 

It might be tempting to install a higher wall or hedge to obscure your property from pedestrians, but more often than not this just provides intruders with more time to steal your valuables. Keep your front fence no taller than one-metre high. 

The Solution: 

• Keep your valuables in a safe place
• Consider blinds or curtains to restrict the sightlines of people looking into your property.

Fragile Defences

The easiest method for getting into your house is to use the door, especially if they have the key or can access it through the letterbox. If this isn’t an option, then the second easiest entry point is breaking in through your windows. On average it takes an intruder about 10 seconds to get through a window; about as long as it takes the average reader to read this paragraph.

With a break-in, every second counts. The longer it takes for someone to break in, the less likely they’ll be able to steal valuables before their intrusion is noticed and reported. A minor inconvenience can slow an attempt, a major inconvenience can stop one entirely. 

Secondary glazing is one of the simplest and easiest deterrents for burglaries. Having a second pane of reinforced glass held in a durable aluminium frame is more than most opportunists could handle. 

This means that even if the attempted burglar gets past your primary windows, you’ll have an extra line of defence. The existence of an additional barrier makes it more trouble than it’s worth for most. At Granada we also have options for PAS24 certified secondary glazing which is more than enough to deter even the most eager of opportunists.

The Solution:

• Secondary Glazing

Distraction Burglary

Sometimes criminals take advantage of our goodwill and generosity. At this time of year it’s not uncommon to have charity workers knocking on your door and asking you to give what you can. While it is the season of giving, there’s a strong possibility that unexpected visitors are also looking to take from you.

Besides charity workers your doorstep encounters might include ‘emergency engineers’ from gas or electricity companies, ‘council workers’, or people asking if they can use your bathroom. While some of these may be legitimate workers, it’s important to affirm that they are who they say they are.

A good safety precaution is to install a door chain on the inside of your door and to call the company or group that they claim to be from. If you have the funds, consider a camera doorbell. Do not use the phone number they give you as this could be an accomplice of theirs. Caution is wise especially for visitors that you aren’t expecting. 

Most genuine engineers or other workers may not be thrilled about the prospect of standing outside, but they will likely understand your caution. The scammers are more likely to be insistent on getting into your house.

The Solution:

• Install a door chain or camera doorbell
• Verify any visitors by calling your supplier or the relevant party

It’s beyond rotten that there are actual Grinches looking to steal Christmas, but by keeping these tips in mind you should keep safe over the festive period and beyond.