As I passed the papers in my local supermarket this weekend, a headline from the Sunday Times caught my eye. It read: Under 5% of all burglaries and robberies solved.

Now, that figure includes the recent rise in moped robberies that seem to be in fashion with the criminal element right now, but it does suggest that if you are burgled, the chances are slim that you will ever get your possessions back again, and while that is ok for the things insurance can replace like games consoles, laptops, etc, it is not okay when it comes to special one off gifts from a departed relative, or the files that you need off that laptop in order to start contacting all the people you are going to have to inform about the burglary.

The good news for where I live in North Norfolk is that detection rates are good in comparison to the whole of the UK, but I have personally seen a rise in burglaries and if the criminal is caught, it can be weeks later, long after your belongings have been stolen.

So what can you do? We all have heard someone say; ‘If the criminal really wants to get in, he can.’ And that is correct. What you want to do is make getting in a time consuming, noisy affair with as much light as possible. When I approach a job where a customer has locked themselves out, I can tell by looking at the door and its’ lock/s just how long I can expect to get them in. Sometimes it is seconds, sometimes it takes a good long while. But I am prepared for what I have to do through experience. The burglar is no different, If your lock has a British Standard Kite mark, he recognises that and knows that is extra time. He might well be able to get in faster than me, because I am taking my time to limit damage to door and lock, whereas he can be a bit more heavy handed. Believe it or not, the window is not a worthwhile entry point if you have to come back out over broken glass with hands full of stolen items, so the burglar always wants to leave by a door. So all those keys left in a bowl on the side or hanging from hooks nearby, are just making life easy for him, especially if they are visible from a window. If your car keys are there as well, you are giving him a getaway vehicle and the capacity to take more. Contact your local locksmith, If they are any good, they will offer a free security check. Whether you can afford to act upon their advice is down to you, but you will know your vulnerabilities and how to deal with them. If my customers want to take my advice, but cannot afford the whole job in one go, I make allowances to return at reduced rates within certain time frames. Do not think your UPVC doors are especially safe, cylinder snapping is a rising attack method and once employed, renders all the hooks and bolts in your door useless. Talk to your locksmith about anti-snap cylinders that are better than the ones you can buy in DIY stores.

Slowing the burglar down is still not going to stop them all. You have to allow for the opportunist and inexperienced intruders who will have a go at anything. Wireless alarm set ups are now available in DIY stores and all over the internet. They can be controlled by mobile phone apps and can have panic buttons and smoke detectors all linked in. A kit you can buy yourself is going to be the cheapest option, but they often come with sensors you don’t want and not enough of the sensors you do want. There is also the minefield of pet friendly devices and best possible places to maximise coverage with the simplest set up. Again, your local locksmith should be familiar with good alarm systems or able to point you in the direction of an alarm specialist who will be more expensive, but will have an even greater range of products such as central control centre monitoring. Alarm systems now come with CCTV which not only keeps you safer, but because it is mobile phone app controlled, you can also use it to check your kids are not having any parties while you are away.

Make sure your alarm box is easy to see and difficult to reach. Then put up plenty of warning signs that the house is protected by CCTV. I install alarms that let you communicate with whoever is inside the house. A burglar is going to scram quick when a disembodied voice starts warning him you are just around the corner.

Security lights are worth their weight in gold. Burglars are constantly on edge. A sensor light that shines bright at night illuminating their antics is going to make them jump like they’re watching a 90’s slasher movie. They can never be sure if it is a senor or if someone is actually in the house putting lights on.

Safes are now much more affordable than ever they used to be. And if you really want to protect that information on your laptop, or that piece of jewellery that belonged to your Nan, that might be worthless to anyone other than you, then you really should look into having a safe. If it is a small safe, do not mount it on a wall where it can be easily hammered down. Safes should always be on the floor where possible and if they are awkward for you to get to, then that means more time the burglar will have to spend trying to get into the thing. If you have a small safe with lots of room, I can get into it (destructive method) within minutes. Bolted down in an awkward position is going to make it much harder. If you have an electronic safe with override keys, do not keep those keys in your house. Trust two relatives or two good friends to look after those keys (but don’t trust them enough to tell them where the safe is). And please, change the safe batteries regularly. A safe not only helps protect from burglars, but from fire damage as well.

Having spoken to victims, a burglary is more than just having your stuff stolen. Many say they go months, if not years without being able to sleep properly. There is a feeling of personal invasion. A home sometimes ceases to be a home anymore and you can then add the expense of having to move to the cost of your belongings while the villain has just sold your heirloom for a fiver at a boot sale. Don’t be a victim. Don’t resign yourself to that ‘if he wants to get in, he will,’ mentality. If you have done everything you can to deter him, he will go elsewhere to where pickings are quicker and easier.

If you have any questions about this topic or any of my other blogs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.