Think your home is super secure? Well, there were a whopping 192,060 home burglaries reported in England and Wales in 2022 – averaging out at an eye-watering 526 A DAY – so it looks like we might not be as safe as we think.
Who better to get the skinny from on the biggest home security mistakes we’re making than those who’ve taken advantage of them – yup, we’re talking ex-burglars.
Security retailers, safe.co.uk, have interviewed ex-thieves and victims of burglaries and uncovered what draws a burglar to someone’s home and oh my god, we’ve been making some seriously obvious mistakes.
Packing
Alongside promoting the fact you’re on holiday, very obviously packing up your car for a long trip away is an instant green flag for burglars. One victim explained: “They saw my parents loading the car to go skiing, when we got back they’d taken everything.”
Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk explains: “When taking a trip or going on a spring break, swiftly take the luggage to the car or taxi. The longer you take to pack up a car, the more chance a burglar has of seeing that the homeowner is leaving the property, giving them optimum time to plan their theft, and potentially tell other offenders too.”
Repeat Business
One ex-burglar has provided insight into why they will likely strike the same place again: “Burglars come back to the same houses quite often. They do this due to a number of motives. It’s guaranteed that the people they robbed replaced the stuff they stole the first time, and often these replacements are of better quality than the original”.
According to the security pros, if you have been burgled, make sure to install extra security measures such as CCTV, alarms and extra locks. Remember – if they’ve made it into your home once, thieves will know the entire layout of your home and where you keep valuables (and their replacements).
Exterior Lights
One ex-burglar admitted that they’d “always skip the house with big outdoor security lights.”
Want to take advantage of this? Anthony Neary advises turning on all exterior lights at night where possible, adding “a house in the dark could appeal to a burglar as it looks like nobody is in the property.”
Help from a Neighbour
Leaving town for a few days? Make sure to not leave your bins out on the street – if they’re not brought in, burglars surveying your area will know you’re not home.
Neary explains: “Burglars can tell if a family has gone on holiday or away for the weekend. From full letterboxes, to forgotten milk deliveries and left out wheely bins, the signs show that the property is vacant. If you are going away for an extended period of time, ask a trusted neighbour or friend to maintain any elements that could be an advertisement for burglars.”