Ex-offenders offer top ten tips to burglar-proof your home

10-07-2018

In a recent article featured in one of the national daily newspapers, two former burglars shared their top tips on how best homeowners can protect their premises from intruders, particularly when heading off on holiday.

Installing motion activated lights and using a recording of a dog barking were among the top ten recommendations from the ex-offenders as a means to deter intruders. Speaking of the motion activated lights, they commented:   ‘These lights will come on when anyone comes near your property, making sure that burglars can’t break in without being seen.” 

“A dog’s bark will make thieves think twice about breaking in.  They’ll think that someone else is in the house or that the dog will attract unwanted attention to them,” they also commented.

In light of this report, ESP is advising installers that these are simple tips that they can pass on when they are talking to customers about home security solutions.   The company’s GuardCam product is an ideal solution.  Not only is it a combined security and floodlight system, but it also offers users the option to choose the sound of dog barking as one the audible warning settings to deter unwanted visitors.  The system is straightforward to install by simply connecting to the mains power, fixing to the wall and setting the time and date.  Once switched on GuardCam will detect an intruder, floodlight the area, and initiate a video recording directly to an internal SD card.  It gives you the option of delivering one of the following messages upon activation: “Warning - you are trespassing” or “Warning - You are being captured on video”. The other option is the sound of a dog barking which can prove quite a powerful deterrent. There is also an option to have no voice alert. 

The ex-criminals outlined their top 10 steps for homeowners to secure their properties as follows:

• Take passports and driving licenses with you - criminals can easily commit identity fraud with this information. It's a modern-day crime that is less risky and growing in popularity.
• Install a deadlock - the installation of a deadlock will make it a lot harder and time-consuming to pick a lock. In most cases, a burglar will move on when they realise they're up against a deadlock.
• Don't post on social media - too many people freely put information about their schedules on social media, which helps burglars when it comes to figuring out when to steal from a property. 
• Keep on top of your gardening - if the lawn is freshly mowed, then burglars will question whether a house is in fact vacant. It also gets rid of any potential hiding spots. 
• Install CCTV - if a burglar is casing your home, they'll likely avoid yours because of the increased risk of getting caught on CCTV.
• Make sure keys are hidden from sight - if someone can see keys from your window they're more likely to break in. Keys will also give intruders access to other areas of your home, such as your garage, and your car.
• Buy motion activated lights - these lights will come on when anyone comes near your property, making sure that burglars can't break in without being seen.  They might also be enough to attract the attention of neighbours if you are away. 
• Put WD-40 on your window sills - an unconventional but effective way to get rid of thieves trying to get in your home. The WD-40 will make it difficult for them to grip and use the window sill to climb into your home.

For further information, contact ESP on 01527 515150, email info@espuk.com or visit www.espuk.com.