Here's some good news. 96% of us will happily sail through 2008 without being burgled. But for the 3-4% who aren't so lucky the event will be a miserable one. Few experiences are as traumatic as coming back to a ransacked home and discovering that a stranger has made off with what's yours. So it makes sense to do what you can to beat the burglars.
A good start is to get in touch with your local police station and arrange for a Crime Prevention Officer to come round. He can assess your home's security and suggest simple measures to protect it. Alternatively, get a private security specialist to advise you. He can also fit security equipment and will know about the different brands on the market.
A good place to start is doors and windows, which are the obvious ways to get into a house. First, make sure you have locks on them. It can be fairly straightforward for a burglar to climb to the first floor, using drainpipes, window sills and flat roofs. So fit window locks on the first floor as well as the ground floor. Key operated window locks are relatively cheap and easy to fit, so they are well worth the investment. When it comes to doors, make sure all front and back doors are strong and have a solid core at least 44mm thick. Glass panels in doors are vulnerable so either replace the door with a solid one, or fit laminated glass over the existing decorative glass to protect it from being smashed.
Fit hinge bolts to your door, which will prevent the door being pulled off its hinges and don't be complacent if your front door is within a block of flats. Make sure it's just as strong as the door to your block. Also fit at least one deadlock in your front and back doors. A deadlock can only be opened with a key from either the outside or the inside. So even if a burglar gets in through a window they won't be able to carry away your possessions through the door without finding a key. And that will limit what they can take.
Door chains and door viewers can help prevent any nastiness from unsolicited visitors. They allow you to check who's at the door before you open it - giving you the upper hand.
Beyond door and window locks you can get as sophisticated as you like. Security specialists can install a whole host of equipment, so take their advice and then decide what really would be useful, and what would be overkill.
Good lighting can deter a thief. There are outdoor lighting systems that come on temporarily when they sense movement. So anyone walking up your garden path can be met by gestapo-style (or more subtle) lights, which draw attention to their every move. Lighting inside helps too. There are systems that put lights on timers while you are out, to make it look like somebody is in the house. If you are away for several days, lights can be programmed to come on randomly so that no regular pattern emerges.
A burglar alarm is a good deterrent too. These range hugely in price and sophistication. They can be wire systems or "wire free" with sensors around the house that send radio transmissions to a control system. Some even send signals to your local police station if the alarm goes off, so that the police are immediately alerted to a break-in.
If you are in a high-risk area then CCTV is a further option. Cameras recording who comes to your front door and who is round the side or back of your home can be really off-putting for a burglar. Like alarms, systems vary greatly in cost and quality. If you are unlucky enough to suffer crime in your home, then they could provide useful evidence in court if the picture quality is good.
Your home should feel safe and secure. The police and security specialists can help you achieve this. A little effort and investment can go a long way to keep out burglars and keep you in the lucky 96%.
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