We all love Christmas, ‘tis the season to be merry!
But unfortunately, it can also prove to be a jolly time of year for the criminal fraternity…
Despite the many warnings about being vigilant during the festive period, it’s all too easy to let your guard down, allowing opportunistic thieves to take advantage. That’s why, year after year around the Yuletide season, national crime statistics continue to reveal spikes in burglaries and anti-social behaviour.
So, here’s a checklist of reminders for how to keep you, your family and your belongings safe this Christmas time:
1. Make sure windows and doors are shut, locked or bolted
Your first line of defence is doors and windows. Shut them, lock them, bolt them – whatever it takes, especially whenever the property is empty. An open bathroom window or an unlocked back door is an open invitation to a burglar.
Always check before you go out. You may have left a window slightly ajar to let some airflow into the property and it’s easy to overlook. Be thorough about this, because it could make all the difference between being burgled and staying secure.
2. Close curtains and blinds
You may have a house full of people and plenty of lights on, but if you’ve got all the curtains or blinds open, you are in full view of whoever might be passing by or looking in. Especially around Christmas time, don’t broadcast all the nice things that you have on display. For unscrupulous individuals, they might prove very tempting to steal. When daylight fades, make a habit of closing curtains and blinds. Keep your contents as invisible as possible to the outside.
3. Secure garages, sheds, outbuildings and vehicles
We frequently store some of our most valuable and prized possessions in garages, sheds and other outbuildings. Cars, bikes, sports equipment, tools and lawnmowers for example. At Christmas time, they could be useful places to store presents as well. Even if the most expensive piece of equipment hanging around in your garage is a ladder, this could be just the item a thief would be looking for to gain entry to the main property. That’s why it’s important to have all these spaces securely locked.
The good news is that, given the scope of today’s technology, it should be possible to integrate garages, sheds and outbuildings into any existing security system.
4. Give the impression the property is occupied
Since the days are at their shortest around Christmas, if you are going out for the evening, or are away for an extended period, give the appearance that the property is occupied. A car on the drive is always helpful, if this is practical. Have lights that come on at certain times of day and make sure that the letterbox isn’t stuffed with newspapers, envelopes or junk mail – that’s a sure sign that a property is unattended. If you can, also get neighbours or family members to call round from time to time, to keep an eye on things.
Today, with apps and smartphones, it’s easy to control this from a distance. You might even want to arrange for music to come on, to add to the “party atmosphere.”
5. Dispose of empty boxes and expensive gift wrappings
After all the presents have been unwrapped, make sure you dispose of the packaging properly. Empty boxes left lying around that once contained games, gadgets and other fancy hi-tech kits can be a big clue that some newly acquired, and possibly very expensive equipment might not be far. For this reason, take time to remove cardboard containers and other packaging responsibly, in cupboards, attics or well out of sight at the bottom of a recycling bin, or take it to the local tip as soon as it reopens after Christmas.
6. Be careful “hiding keys”
Many homeowners have a nominated safe place to store a key, either as backup if the main keys go missing or for any family or friend who doesn’t have key access. As practical as this might appear, it can also be a big security risk. If someone is hunting around in the hope that there might be a key hidden under a dustbin or flowerpot, you could be providing an open invitation to a burglar. Best to get sufficient keys cut, rather than leaving one lying around waiting to be found.
The other way round this is to have a secure key box fitted. At Justice Fire and Security, we can install with one of these for you, as part of any on-site installation or maintenance work that we are carrying out.
7. Look after your pets
Pets are priceless to their owners and it pays to take their safety seriously. As heartbreaking as it may sound, pet theft, especially at Christmas, is on the increase. Dogs, cats, rabbits, fish and more exotic species are all fair game these days. There are some very unpleasant people out there, often in criminal gangs and pets are seen as increasingly valuable commodities.
Wherever possible, keep them indoors or in a secure environment. This can be difficult if you have a roaming cat – but if at least you can confine them in a secure area, this will help to keep them out of harm’s way.
8. Remember to set the burglar alarm system
If you already have an intruder alarm installed, make sure that it is activated whenever you leave the property. It may sound obvious, but it is the easiest thing in the world to overlook. You might be in a rush, have your mind on other things, or any number of other reasons. It only takes that one occasion when you forget to turn the alarm on that somebody tries their luck and makes a forced entry.
9. Install intruder alarms or CCTV
If you haven’t already done so, it’s probably a little late in the day to have an intruder alarm installed or other such security equipment installed before Christmas time. But, certainly, as part of a longer-term home security plan, this is something worth giving consideration to in the New Year.
Properties protected by fully functioning burglar alarms, CCTV systems, external lighting etc are less likely to receive visits from unwanted intruders. It doesn’t matter how large or small your home is, highly efficient security equipment can be tailored to the requirements (and budget) of every type of residential property.
We hope these suggestions are useful for your security this Christmas. If you need any further help and advice or you would like to discuss ways to improve your home security, please do not hesitate to contact us. For all enquiries, contact our main switchboard on 0845 468 9077.
For nearly 40 years, Justice Fire & Security have designed, installed and maintained gold standard security and fire safety systems for homeowners throughout Birmingham, the wider West Midlands and Warwickshire, along with Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
