Keeping your home safe
Police: Home Security Advice
Tag: home security
Expert security warning for home owners in Edinburgh
ADT shares guidance on protecting homes amid rise in property crime
ONS has recently released its property crime data, which shows that 23% of the UK have been victims of household theft from April 2021 to March 2022 – up 2% from last year.
As the nights get darker earlier, and clocks change, the security experts at ADT have provided top tips to ensure your property is fully protected this winter.
Glenn Amato, Managing Director, Subscriber UK&I at ADT UK said: “The latest data from ONS shows a rise in household theft over the last year, with 23% of the UK being victims of it – though this isn’t wholly surprising, given that there are less people working from home full time now.
“That said, when paired with the deepening cost of living crisis, the potential of a looming recession and moving into the winter season and darker nights, it’s understandable how some people might be starting to feel concerned about the safety of their homes.
“In the 2008 recession, we saw rates of personal theft increase by 25% and burglaries rise 4%, so if the country heads into another recession, property crime could sadly increase again.
“Historically, when the cost of living has increased, there has also been increases in ‘snatch and steal’ type crimes. “
The good news is that there are many precautions homeowners can take to protect their properties and feel safer:
1. Double lock and double check – one lock on the door often isn’t enough to protect the home, burglars can use their foot to check whether there is a deadlock on the door. Invest in a second lock and always double check both front and back doors are locked when leaving the house.
2. Social Media awareness – If a burglar has access to your name through old post or personal information, they can easily find your social media accounts too. Sharing posts whilst you’re away visiting relatives during the Christmas season, or posting so-called holiday countdowns are an open invitation for burglars to head into your home with the knowledge that they won’t be disturbed.
3. Think twice about lights – While leaving your lights on may signal an occupied house to potential intruders, it can increase the cost of bills, as well as making valuable belongings more visible to thieves. Consider using smart plugs to turn lights on, only when necessary and you’re away from your home to give the impression of occupancy. Make sure curtains or blinds are closed at night so that potential burglars don’t have a direct line of sight into your valuables and the layout of your home, and only leave on dim or energy saving bulbs.
4. Invest in your security – Having an up-to-date digital alarm system is the best way to prevent burglaries. It’s worth investing in home security that is professional installed and monitored by trusted professionals, which signals directly to an alarm receiving centre when it detects an intruder. Smart home security systems are also a great option for people looking for protection. Systems like ADT’s Smart Home system integrate entry sensors and sirens to a range of devices like lights, smart plugs, doorbells, cameras and remote mobile apps, by connecting through WiFi and GPRS.
5. Forget hiding a key – Most people have managed to lock themselves out at least once but hiding a key in the vicinity of a home – whether under a flowerpot or above the doorframe – simply isn’t worth the risk. If a spare must be kept outside, at least keep it in a locked key safe, which requires a code.
Window security with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland
Thieves don’t always use doors to gain access to your house. 
Keeping your windows secure is just as important as locking your doors. 
For advice and tips on how best to secure your windows click on the links below:
http://ow.ly/Jevh50L39Pc
You can also visit Neighbourhood Watch Scotland to register for Neighbourhood Alerts within your community.
Experts warn university students in Edinburgh to keep their houses safe
ADT shares advice for students to help keep homes safe
Glenn Amato, Managing Director at ADT UK&I explains: “Moving into a university house after being in halls of residence should be an exciting time. But with lots of carefree students all living together under one roof, each with many expensive personal belongings, such as laptops and phones, burglars can sadly see student homes as a bit of a quick win with potentially big payoffs.
“Universities are notoriously bad at publishing crime data (both on and off campus) and so before deciding on an area to live, it is highly recommended that students compare the crime rates within the most popular student areas using data from ADT’s Crime In My Area tool, an easy, online platform to check crime rates in a given postcode.
“Once students have picked an area to live, the good news is that there are many simple ways to keep a house safe and sound from unwanted intruders, leaving students free to be able to focus on enjoying university life. The below advice provides simple and practical ways for students to look after a house for the first time, to help make living away from home a little safer and less daunting.”
ADT guidance on protecting a university house from burglars
· Remember to always lock your windows and doors: Seems simple right, but the more doors and windows a home has, the more potential entry points there are. Before leaving for university or a social engagement, check that every window and door of the property is closed and locked – an open window is a big temptation for opportunists, even if it’s only left open at night. It’s crucial to make sure all doors are locked (front and back) before heading out, as it’s harder to hear someone entering the property from the back of the house. Also, if there’s a lock on the bedroom door, always remember to lock it before heading to lectures or on a night out.
· Make it look like someone is home even when they’re not: There are times throughout the year when universities close and the homes will be sat empty and so making it appear like someone is home could help to deter burglars. Smart bulbs (and smart plugs) can connect to a home’s Wi-Fi and can be operated remotely via a smart phone, even when no one is home. This is a great way to indicate that a house is occupied out of term-time, rather than the predictable routine of a conventional plug-in timer switch.
· Keep valuables out of sight: This is a simple step that can make a big difference. Before leaving the house (or going to bed), make sure there are no flashy valuables or expensive bits of tech left lying around, especially in any places that are visible from the exterior of the home. If you’re leaving the house for a long period of time, such as for the Christmas holidays, remember to take all your valuables with you, such as your laptop. It’s also worth keeping a back-up of your coursework on the cloud or an external hard drive, just in case the worst does happen, and your laptop is stolen.
· Forget hiding a key: Most people have managed to lock themselves out at least once but hiding a key in the vicinity of a home – whether under a flowerpot or above the doorframe – simply isn’t worth the risk. If a spare must be kept outside, at least keep it in a locked key safe, which requires a code.
· Be mindful on social media: Tempting as it is to share snaps when the house is lying empty, posting a location on a non-private social media account is a clear signal to potential intruders that the house is empty. Don’t let criminals know when the home is vulnerable to intrusion. ONS1 has revealed that it is as likely that a burglary is conducted by a stranger as it is to be done by someone who is known to the victim.
· Set your alarm: If there’s one installed in the property, be sure to use it!
· House party preparations: Moving away from home offers plenty of opportunities for house parties, but with multiple members of the household usually inviting friends along, it can be hard to keep track of who is inside. Where possible, try to only let people known and trusted inside. It’s also worth dedicating one bedroom for hiding all valuables and personal belongings, to stop potential thieves from stealing expensive items.
#OpSummerCity: Police Security advice at Princes Street Gardens
Officers will be holding a crime prevention information stall today (Saturday, 7 August), between 11am – 3pm at the #OpSummerCity Command Vehicle at East Princes Street Gardens.
Come and talk to us about home, garage & shed security and bike security.
Have a #SafeSummer
Post-lockdown Scotland will need to lock-up or lose out
Over 4/5 of Scotland at risk of burglary this summer
As the UK flocks to full capacity pubs and newly opened clubs, home security must rise to the top of homeowners agendas.
New data from Quotezone.co.uk, insurance comparison website, shows that over 80% of people in Scotland do not have a burglar alarm system in their homes.
More worrying still is that the findings, which are based on a sample size of more than 350,000 home insurance policies collated over three years, shows that 79% of neighbourhoods in Scotland do not currently have a neighbourhood watch in operation.
It’s clear that home security has fallen down the priority list for many and now couldn’t be a better time to rectify this. Burglaries reduced by 28% as a result of lockdown as more people stayed at home, suggesting that without the right measures in place a rebound post-lockdown is very likely.
What’s more, this coincides with studies which show that during the months of June-August home burglaries are the highest with a spike of 10% compared with the rest of the year.
Therefore, a surge of people spending more time outside of their homes as well as abroad on holiday, alongside a seasonal spike in crime means that now is most definitely the time to be thinking about simple steps to keep you home protected this Summer.
Some top tips from Quotezone.co.uk below:
- Do invest in light timers to switch on your lights as it approaches dusk for an hour or two to give the appearance that someone is home. The light sensors that switch on when someone approaches the property illuminates intruders and act as a deterrent.
- Do not broadcast your plans on social media and if you do want to post holiday snaps, make sure your settings are set to private to avoid alerting strangers to your location.
- Do make any security or alarm systems you do have noticeable to potential burglars with key positioning at the front or back of the house. If you do not have a system then you can pick up CCTV signs from your local police station.
- Do check your insurance policy before you travel, look out for limits on leaving your property unoccupied and how long you can be away and still make a claim.
Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk comments: “It does seem as if we could be heading towards a perfect storm in which more people spend time outside for the first time in 18 months, alongside a seasonal spike in crime, leading to a wave of burglaries throughout July and August.
“It is surprising that so few people across the UK have alarm systems or are involved in neighbourhood watch groups. Now is a good time to rethink the way they households are protecting their homes.
“Even if an alarm system is not something people can invest in right now, there are many other tips and tricks to secure your home and leave you feeling safer this Summer.”
Police Scotland advice: Time to review your home security
As we approach the festive period and darker nights, it’s a good time to review security of your home, says Police Scotland.
Do you keep your keys in view of a window? If you have an alarm, do you use it, is it zoned? Have you recorded the serial numbers for your electrical equipment? Are your valuables easily accessible? Have you uploaded your photos to the cloud or onto a hard drive? Here’s a few tips
:• Ensure your locks are tested to British Standard or meet the needs of your insurance company.
• Keep doors and windows locked.
• Keep car keys secure and hidden.
• If you are out whilst it is dark, consider fitting light timers or leaving a light on.
• Fit outside security lights, either motion senor or dusk to dawn.
• Window locks should be fitted where appropriate and used all the time. Do not leave the key in the lock.
• Mark all the electrical equipment with an ultraviolet marker pen
• At the front of the house hedges or trees should be trimmed or cropped so as not to provide cover for thieves.
• Laptop computers and mobile phones are favourite housebreaking targets. These should be locked away or removed from view. Add tracking software to smart phones, laptops and Ipads to aid in the recovery of these items
• Consider investing in a safe or strong box for storage of cash and valuables. A safe should be securely fixed to the fabric of the building and should only be used for short-term storage of cash.
• Consider an intruder alarm system. More info can be found here www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.org
• Secure your shed and all tools (may be used to force entry).
• Consider a shed alarm.
• Consider joining www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk
If you see anyone acting suspiciously contact the police immediately with a description of any person or vehicle involved.
Call 999 if an emergency or 101 to report the matter to the police. Further advice – https://www.scotland.police.uk/…/home…/secure-your-home/
Stay secure as the clocks go forward
With the clocks due to go forward this weekend, police are urging people to keep home security in mind when they start to enjoy the lighter nights and warmer weather over the coming months. Most thieves are opportunist and will take the chance to enter a property left insecure or simply take high value items from gardens or outbuildings. Continue reading Stay secure as the clocks go forward
Crime prevention event at Trinity Academy
Police Scotland will be hosting a crime prevention and domestic security event to raise awareness of domestic property security and the effective measures which can be taken to protect your home and property on
Monday 27 April – Forth Event – Trinity Academy 6.30pm
The evening will consist of presentations from Police Scotland, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and other partners. The event aims to offer constructive advice regarding personal safety and the protection of your property and will afford attendees an opportunity to ask questions.
