10 things you can do to keep your house safe this bank holiday!

 

 

One thing you don’t want when you come home from a break away, is to find you’ve had burglars.

But Mick Curley of PhoneWatch this week came up with 10 things you can do to put the burglars off choosing your house:

 

1. Don't leave keys hidden outside. Burglars know to check under wheelie bins, flower pots and rocks - yet despite this, 35% of homeowners have left a key hidden in the garden.

2. It sounds obvious but lock your doors!  Over 50% of attempted burglaries are through the front and back doors.  Make sure that all doors are locked and double check before you go.

3. Don’t leave a “top window” open for fresh air.  It’s inviting an agile and opportunist thief to enter your home. Make sure windows are locked and check before you go

4. Install a secondary locking system to all windows and doors.

5. Put lights on timer switches to give the impression of people at home as dusk falls.

6. Ask your neighbour to keep an eye on your home and to take in your post while you’re away.  A tell-tale sign that a home is unoccupied is post piled up on the door mat.

7. Cut the grass before you go.  Nothing says ‘I’m on holidays’ more than an uncut lawn.  Ask a neighbour to put your bins out for collection and put them back in again while you’re away. 

8. Don’t update your social media account with information about when you are leaving and when you will return. Social media is a great source of information for burglars, keep your plans private.

 

9. Make sure your exterior alarm box is clean; it implies that it has been serviced recently.

10. Switch on your alarm.  Again this is basic but in the rush to get to the airport this is easily forgotten.  A monitored alarm will provide you with the best protection, notifying you and the Gardai of any intrusions and potentially catching the burglars in the act – complete piece of mind.