Most Effective deterrents For Break-ins

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According to statistics, 1 in 100 homes in the UK are burgled every year. These include cases of all burglary incidents as well as attempted burglaries.

These incidents have a lasting impact on the victims who have to deal with not only financial losses but severe emotional and mental stress as well.

Burglaries are one of the most common types of crime committed in the country, and all those who have had the experience of someone breaking into the privacy and safety of their home know how it can make you feel extremely distressed and vulnerable and may take a long time to recover from.

Thankfully, there are ways in which you can deter burglars from targeting your home. Read on to find out about the most effective deterrents for break-ins and how they can maximise your home security:

TOP DETERRENTS FOR BREAK-INS

Most cases of burglaries are premeditated and take into account days, or even weeks, of planning. When burglars choose a house to break into, one of the first things they look for is ease of access.

Why is that so important? Well, because the easier it is for them to get inside a house without getting noticed, the easier it is for them to carry out the crime.

More than 75% of burglars enter via a door, while 1 in 5 prefer using a window. Some of these are locked, which are then forced open, while some are carelessly left unlocked or in a vulnerable state by the homeowners.

Other than keeping your doors and windows locked, what can you do to deter burglars from targeting your property? What can you do for the burglars to take your home off their potential target list?

Here are the most effective deterrents for break-ins that all homeowners must employ to keep themselves, their families, and their property safe:

CCTV CAMERAS

CCTV cameras are one of the best deterrents for break-ins, the mere sight of which is enough to scare those conniving criminals away.

The presence of CCTV cameras, especially around the exterior of your home, is a great way to prevent unauthorised access, or even unauthorised presence, around your property.

What CCTV cameras do is that they record what’s happening in their field of view, making it easier to catch and identify any intruders trying to break into your house.

Burglars are more likely to target homes without CCTV cameras since targeting homes with surveillance systems is risky for them.

When using CCTV cameras as a deterrent, you must make sure that they are installed and positioned in a way that makes them effective in capturing the area and people on your property.

One of the best places to install them is the main entrance of the house so that you can monitor everyone approaching your property. This will make it impossible for the burglars to break in through the door without getting recorded on camera.

Some useful features to look for in outdoor CCTV cameras include night vision, weather resistance, tamper resistance, motion sensors, push notifications, and professional monitoring.

There are many different types of CCTV cameras to choose from, and if you are unsure about the best one for your requirements, it is best to consult with a professional who can guide you better.

Also, make sure to opt for professional installation services to make sure your CCTV cameras comply with the CCTV laws and have the systems regularly serviced and maintained.

SECURITY LIGHTING

Burglars hate attention, which is why when it comes to deterring burglars at night time, lighting plays a very important role. Well-lit houses are a big no for them since it makes it easier to spot and catch them.

Make sure to not leave any dark areas or blind spots around your house because a potential intruder will use them to hide until the coast is clear. You may not even know if a criminal is hiding in your yard or garden if these areas are left in the dark.

Motion sensor lighting, in particular, is a great way to startle burglars and any unauthorised individuals approaching your home.

Imagine a burglar making their way towards your home only to be surprised by a bright light that turns on as soon as they set foot near it.

This doesn’t only throw the burglars off and scare them away instantly but also demonstrates to them that you have invested in quality security equipment and there might be more.

Motion sensor lighting is also helpful for you in the sense that it alerts you to movements outside on your property. As soon as the light turns on, chances are that you will go out to see or check the feed from the CCTV camera if you have one installed.

It also helps you give a clear view of anyone approaching your property and, if the lights and motion sensors are placed in the right places along the path to your home, prevents potential intruders to use the cover of darkness to make their way through.

SECURE DOORS AND WINDOWS

Before investing in CCTV cameras and security lights, you need to see how strong and effective your physical reinforcements are, aka. the doors and windows.

Since most burglars break in through the doors and windows, it is extremely important to ensure they are up to the standard and can’t be easily bypassed using a few tricks and regular tools.

Installing strong doors and gates can make your home more difficult to break into, and if someone puts in too much time to bypass them, it puts them at risk of being spotted.

Some of the best materials for front doors include wood, uPVC, and composite, all of which must be reinforced using door chains, lock bars, letterbox guards, spy holes, doorbell cameras, and automatic porch lights.

Make sure to reinforce all the front, back, and side doors and windows, including the patio doors, if you have any.

For the windows, make sure they remain closed especially if you are not somewhere nearby and keep the curtains closed to make it difficult for passers-by and potential burglars to see into your home.

SECURE LOCKS

Strong doors and secure locks go hand in hand. You can’t focus on one without focusing on the other. They are an essential part of security and are considered one of the most basic forms of physical defence against intrusions.

Vulnerabilities in your door’s locking mechanism can put you at risk of intrusions and break-ins since they are seen as opportunities by potential burglars.

There are several types of door locks available on the market and they come in a range of shapes, sizes, and the level of protection that they offer.

Some of the most common types include mortice, rim, lever, and cylinder/Euro locks. You can choose the best one depending on the door you want to install them on and, of course, the level of security you require.

Smart locks are another amazing option that you can use to prevent unauthorised access into your home. They work just like regular locks and are strong, sturdy, and difficult to bypass or tamper with, in addition to allowing you to monitor them using smart devices, such as your phone, tablet, or laptop.

What this means is that every time someone accesses the door, it will be logged into the system and you can also receive an instant notification informing you of the activity.

This can come in handy when someone tries to break into your home since you’ll be instantly sent a notification. You can take instant action such as informing the police or relevant authorities to deal with the situation right away.

It is also extremely helpful when you can’t remember whether you locked the door on your way out or not. You can simply use your phone or computer to check it, and what’s great is that, if you have forgotten to, you can even use them to lock it from any location.

Some smart locks can also be integrated with alarm systems that get activated in the event of a forced entry and which, for the majority of the time, is enough to scare most intruders away.

BURGLAR ALARMS

If you are serious about keeping your home secure from break-ins, you must consider installing a burglar alarm that will not only keep them from targeting your property but will also scare away those that attempt to do so.

Burglar alarms work using a series of sensors, such as door and window sensors, vibration detectors, glass-break detectors, and passive infrared (PIR) detectors, that pick up on intrusions and sound a loud alarm to alert the homeowners, people nearby, and the police, in some cases.

In addition to a loud sound, they may also use flashing lights to bring more attention towards the intruder and scare them away for good.

The type of sensor you choose depends on where you wish to install it and the type of intrusion that needs to be detected.

For instance, if you want the alarm to be triggered every time a door or window is forced open, you should opt for door and window sensors.

To pick up on movements, you should opt for vibration or PIR detectors. Alternatively, if you want to be alerted when someone breaks the glass on your door or window to break in, a glass-break detector would be the ideal choice.

You may choose between:

Simple bells-only alarms that make a loud noise and depend on someone nearby to respond to them,
Dialler alarms that contact the homeowners and other nominated individuals in the event of an alarm trigger,
Monitored burglar alarms that are professionally monitored by trained individuals at an Alarm Receiving Centre who inform the police to send help right away, and
Smart burglar alarms that integrate with other smart home devices and send push notifications to your phone whenever an intrusion is detected.

To make sure that your intruder alarms are as effective as you’d like them to be, have them installed by a professional security company and make sure to have them regularly maintained and serviced.

GET A DOG

It’s not like you need a reason to get a dog, but here’s one just in case. Dogs have been and still are, used for security purposes all around the world.

Whether it’s securing your house, your farm, your cattle, or yourself, dogs have always remained by our side and protected us like family.

They are man’s best friends and are known to go to any lengths to protect their owners and human families. As cute and friendly as they are, they can turn aggressive and dangerous in an instant if they see a threat such as an intruder trying to break in or someone trying to physically hurt their owners.

They can be trained to pick up on any unusual activity and are great at keeping criminals away from you and your property. A ‘beware of dog’ sign is great at deterring away burglars, and an actual dog is enough to send them running away to safety.

Some of the best dog breeds, specifically to be used for security purposes are, German Shephard, Rottweiler, Doberman, Akita, and Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Although dogs are great to have around and provide their owners with great security benefits, you must not rely solely on a dog to protect you against break-ins. Sometimes, dogs are distracted with treats or even kidnapped to remove them from the way.

It is always best to invest in practical security arrangements such as burglar alarms, CCTV cameras, secure locks, and security lighting, in addition to keeping a dog for maximising home security.

SECURE YOUR GARAGE

When speaking of vulnerabilities around your house, the focus usually goes towards the doors and windows and how to keep them secure against break-ins. What usually gets neglected is an important part of your home and one that you need to take special care of: the garage.

Burglars look for weaknesses to target, and if the main doors and windows are secure, their attention goes towards side and back doors and windows and the garage.

Garage doors are generally very easy to bypass and are, at times, even left unlocked. This can be a serious problem especially if your garage is connected to your home since it can provide easy access to the rest of your house.

You must invest in garage door security and anti-snap garage door locks to make the garage difficult to break into. You must also light up the entrance to the garage and install CCTV cameras and burglar alarms to always be notified of any unusual activity around the garage area.

SECURE YOUR GARDEN

In some homes, gardens are usually the first point of entry, making them a vulnerability if left unsecured and unprotected. They are also targeted for high-value items such as barbeques, bikes, gardening equipment, decorative sculptures, and expensive foliage.

There are simple ways in which you can increase the security of your garden, some of which might even add to the aesthetics of your home.

You can start by keeping the area as clear as possible and trimming any huge trees, bushes, and hedges that might give someone cover to hide.

You must install gates and fences around the boundary to prevent strangers from just walking inside. They must be made with super strong, durable material, and be high enough to keep the inside hidden from plain view.

Thorny plants can also be strategically placed around the base of the fence’s perimeter. Some of the most common plants to be used as hedge barriers include Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Dog Rose, Holly, and Red Pyracantha.

Make sure to include the garden in your CCTV camera’s field of view and install motion sensors and security alarms to allow you to always keep a check on every inch of your property.

NEIGHBOURLINESS

It’s basic human etiquette to get to know your neighbours and be on friendly terms with them. You can hang out with them and also depend on them in your time of need.

Burglars tend to stay away from close-knit neighbourhoods since they know that everyone will be looking out for each other.

Neighbours that you know and are friendly with are more likely to keep an eye on your property and take action when they see suspicious activity.

Also, if you go away for a few days leaving your home empty, you can trust your neighbours to keep a lookout and may even let them inside your house.

You don’t want burglars to know that you’re away and a good neighbour can help you put up the illusion by doing things such as turning on the lights and mowing your lawn.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

At Calder Security, we provide a comprehensive range of security solutions that include not just professional installation but also monitoring, maintenance, and repair services.

We are experts in the field of home security and can recommend the best security solutions to make your home safe from all kinds of threats.

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash