Burglary is one of the most traumatic crimes for anyone to fall victim to – learn to deter burglars from targeting your home using these top security tips.

No matter if you live in a city centre or out in the countryside, burglary is unfortunately a real threat for homeowners in the UK.

Recent restrictions have actually seen the number of burglaries committed fall slightly with so many more of us staying at home during the day, but as we slowly return to normal life, crime rates are expected to climb once more.

At Central FS we are Scotland’s leading fire and security service and we have gathered some expert top tips for how you can keep your home protected from burglars at all times.

How do burglars pick their targets?

In order to reduce the chances of you being the victim of burglary it is important to understand what burglars are looking for when selecting a property to burgle.

Many people are surprised to discover that the vast majority of burglaries are not carefully planned operations, with over half of recorded incidents being carried out by opportunistic criminals.

Opportunist burglars will roam a neighbourhood on the look out for certain features of properties that make them appear an easy target, acting on the spur of the moment when the chance presents itself.

Security flaws that opportunist burglars will look for include:

Weak Locks

Lockpicking is a key skill for any budding burglar and many locks on older doors and windows pose no real challenge to an experienced criminal.

Newer windows and doors, on the other hand, will have a complex internal locking system that will take much longer to pick

An easy way to check whether your locks are susceptible to lock picking is to take a £1 coin and place it next to  the cylinder protruding from your door and window locks.

If the cylinder protrudes by more than the depth of a £1 coin, it could be an appealing target for burglars, and you should consider having them replaced.

Open windows and doors

Nearly a third of homeowners in the UK admit that they rarely bother locking their side and back doors when leaving their property.

This really is asking for trouble and many burglars will simply roam a neighbourhood trying doors and looking for open windows that offer an easy access route.

A failure to lock windows and doors when you leave your property is also likely to void your insurance, so if a burglar enters in this manner, you will be unlikely to receive compensation for lost goods.

Advertising an empty home

As much as it can be tempting to plaster social media with pictures of your wonderful holiday abroad, to a burglar seeing these pictures is a sign that you have left your property unattended.

The last thing that a burglar wants is to risk detection so finding properties that are guaranteed to be unoccupied is an attractive prospect.

How to Burglar Proof Your Home

With so many people being dangerously careless with their home security it is not a major challenge for burglars to find properties that they can easily target.

Luckily, however, this means that by putting in place a few simple security measures you will be able to deter the vast majority of burglars who will see your home as too high risk and move on elsewhere.

Here are some of the most effective ways to prevent burglary:

Create a Natural Barrier

Planting a spiky or thorny hedge around the perimeter of your property is a great way to make access more of a challenge and slow down anyone who attempts to reach your property from the sides or rear.

Install CCTV

CCTV cameras are the single biggest deterrent to burglars who are looking to avoid identification at all costs.

The mere sight of a visible CCTV camera will send the majority of opportunistic burglars on their way and will assist the police in finding and identifying criminals if they are not deterred.

If in Doubt, Keep them Out

Distraction burglary has become a major problem in recent times, with burglars pretending to be someone they are not in order to gain access into people’s homes.

Before opening your door to someone claiming to be a tradesman, from the council, or similar you should always check their identity and credentials by using a door viewer, doorbell cam or by leaving the door on the chain.

Install a gravel driveway

A gravel driveway will make it impossible to approach your property discreetly, even at night, making burglars think twice before entering your land.

Install a burglar alarm

One of the most popular and most effective forms of home security is CFS Burglar Alarms.

A professionally installed burglar alarm box located high up on the front of your property acts as a powerful visual deterrent and will alert you, your neighbours, and your security firm to a security breach if activated.

Contact Central FS

For more information on home security from a BAFE accredited industry leading expert, or to arrange a home survey today, contact Central FS now on 0141 530 1244.