Online Security Directory

We all look forward to going away on holiday to get away from it all. Returning home from a holiday can be disheartening enough after a relaxing break but for many returning to a burgled home the feeling can be very unsettling. With a bit of careful preparation before leaving on holiday you can help to reduce the risk of a break in.

The following preparations when used in conjunction with a good home security system can help to secure your home further; giving you peace of mind so you can unwind on holiday.

Burglars prey on unsecured homes and will exploit any weakness of your home to their advantage. The more weaknesses a home has the more susceptible it is to burglars or opportunist criminals.

• One of the best ways to secure your property is to install a comprehensive security system, preferably with motion detectors. However, if a burglar is feeling particularly reckless they may be undeterred by these fixtures and attempt entry dealing with the consequences as they arise.
• Similarly, if your unoccupied home has been monitored in your absence an intruder may decide to take the risk knowing there isn’t going to be any human resistance until the police arrive. To further protect your house you need to not drop the pretence; if a burglar believes people are living in your home then it is much less likely to be broken into.
• Marking your property is a powerful tool for recovering stolen goods but doesn’t offer much in terms of deterrence. However if you display a sign or sticker stating that your property is marked then a burglar is more likely to think twice. If you display the sign in a place where a burglar is going to see it on their way in (near a window or doorframe) then it is going to have much more stopping power.
• Speak to your neighbours before you leave and let them know that you are going on holiday. If you can get neighbours or friends and family to park their cars in your drive, retrieve your post and generally keep an eye on your house then anybody monitoring your home should be put off by all the disturbances.

Sometimes the hardest things to replace are our personal and sentimental items. Experiencing the aftermath of a break in can leave us lost for words and disorientated. One of the biggest problems can sometimes be remembering what you owned before the burglary.

Marking property works for some items around the house such as electrical equipment and power tools. However valuable and fragile items cannot always be marked without damaging or decreasing their value.

A solution to these problems is to keep records of valuable items. Take a photograph of the item against a plain background including an object next to it to show the scale and put the date on the back. If it is a particularly valuable piece of jewellery or an antique you may want to include a valuation figure with it as well. Take notes of any distinguishing features such as hallmarks or engravings that will identify the item as your own.

Keep an up to date record of your more valuable items and keep it in a safe place. You may also want to give a copy of your list to a friend or family member for safekeeping away from your home.