Burglar Proof Your Home

Check, Lock, Leave

How safe is your home?In many instances, burglary of the home can be prevented. By taking just a few simple measures, you can reduce the chances of it happening to your family. We are encouraging people to Check, Lock, Leave each time they leave their house.

Safety checklist each time you leave your houseBurglaries are more likely to be opportunistic rather than planned and homes with little or no visible security are prime impulse targets. But don’t worry – you can stop your home from invasion by taking a few simple steps.

• Lockalldoorsandwindowseachtimeyouleaveyourhome,evenifyou’reonlypopping down to the shop or to a neighbour’s house.

• Setyourhousealarmeachtimeyouleave.• Ifyouhaveasideorbackgardengate,lockit.Alsomakesurethattheshed

and garage are both locked.• Keepallvaluablesoutofsitefromanyonepeekingthroughwindowsorthe

letterbox. You should also keep any house or car keys well out of reach of the letterbox, if possible.

• Ifyou’regoingoutintheevening,closethecurtainsandputyourlightsonatimer.• Neverleavecarinformation,IDorotherpersonaldocumentsinobvious,easy-

to-spotplaceslikethekitchenorhallway.• Alwaysfullysecureyourhomewhenleaving,evenifit’sonlyforfiveminutes.

Remember “Check, Lock and Leave”.

Make your house as safe as possibleWhile there are a number of routine things you can do to protect your house from burglars, it’s also important to make sure you have the right foundations. Here’s what you can do to make sure your home is a fortress.

Entry points

• Whilealldoorsandwindowsshouldbelockedwheneveryouleavethehouse,be aware of which entry points in your house can offer easy access to burglars. Is there a bedroom window directly above a kitchen extension? Is there a window in the alley beside your home?

• Changealllockswhenyoumoveintoanewhouse.Similaractionshouldbetaken if anyone living in the house loses a key. It is also worth noting that your keys should never have a tag containing your home address.

• Neverhideakeyincaseafamilymemberforgetstheirset.Burglarswillsearchunderdoormats,pottedplantsandgardengnomesforthese.Sameappliestoleaving the key on a string inside your letterbox.

• Inthesummer,parentsmaywanttoleaveawindowopenintheirchild’sroom. Open the window a small amount and use a lever with a key to lock the window into place. Remove the key but have it ready in case of emergency.

• Neverleaveakeyinthefrontorbackdoorevenifyou’reathome.• Considersettingyourperimeteralarmwhenyouareinthehouse.

Lights

• Ifyou’regoingoutintheeveningoratnight,leaveacoupleoflightsonsothatit looks like someone is at home.

• Ifyou’regoingtobeawayformorethananightoryourhomeisunoccupiedfor an extended period during the day, invest in a timer so your lights can turn on and off intermittently. Leaving your lights on constantly is an indicator to any burglars who may be watching your house.

Outside

• Hangblindsorcurtainsonalllowerlevelwindowssoburglarscan’tbeenticedby computers, TVs or other expensive items you may have on view in your home.

• Avoidobscuringtheviewtoyourdoorsandwindowswithtreesandbushesasthese can conceal someone attempting to break in.

• Motionsensorsinyourfrontandbackgardenarealsoagoodideaasthesewilllight up the area and discourage burglars from trying to get a closer look.

• Putyourwheeliebinsawaysotheycan’tbeusedasastepladdertogetoveryour garden gate or onto the garage.

Protect your home while you’re on holidaySummertimeseesanincreaseinhomeburglariesandthievestargethousesleftemptywhile families are on holidays. Follow this checklist to keep burglars at bay.

• Don’tannounceonFacebookorothersocialmediaplatformsthatyou’regoingaway and avoid posting holiday snaps until you come back. Burglars have gotten more crafty in recent years and are monitoring social media accounts.

• Maketimetodoathoroughcheckofalldoorsandwindowsbeforeyouleave,making sure everything is locked tight.

• Putlightsonatimertoturnonforafewhoursintheeveningandatnighttogive the illusion you’re still at home.

• Getaneighbourtocollectanymail,soburglarswon’tseeabuildupiftheylook through your letterbox. You can also ask them to pull your curtains in the evening.

• Cancelanymilkornewspaperdeliveriesforthetimeyou’reawaysothereisn’tabuilduponyourdoorstep.Alternativelygetaneighbourtocollectthem.

• Leaveyourcarparkedinthedriveway.Ifyou’vedriventotheairportorgoneona driving holiday, ask a neighbour to park their car in your driveway on a couple of the days you’re away.

• Askneighbourstokeepaneyeonyourhouse.Sometimesalarmscangounnoticed in residential areas, but if your neighbours know you’re not there, they’ll be more likely to investigate.

http://www.mummypages.ie/liberty-insurance-safety-centreTheinformationcontainedinthisbookletwasresearchedbyandwrittenbyMummyPages.ieonbehalfofLibertyInsurancedac.

Check, Lock, Leave: Top 5 home security tips1. Fit doors and windows with quality locks and secure them each time your leave

your home.2. Install a visible alarm and use it when you’re in and out of the house.3. Placevaluablesoutofsight.4. Don’tpostyourwhereaboutsonsocialmediawhenleavingthehouseorgoing

on holidays.5. Join-orevensetup-aneighbourhoodwatchgroupinyourcommunity.