How to keep my home safe?

bluedrop

We moved into our home last week. We are first time home owners - so clueless about security I need for my home.

Burglar alarm ? We live in a 3 bed semi in a fairly safe area. I would still like to make my home as secure as possbile. What kind of burglar alarm would suit us? What price am I looking at? Ideally, I would like to have something that will alrert (text / phone) me in case of a break-in. Which brands??

Safe: Friends tell me that burglars have gold detectors with them. My plans of keeping my jewellery in a unsuspecting place go for a toss then. Does anyone here have a safe? How is that installed? will a burglar not take the entire safe with him???

Any relevant advise is gratefully accepted.

muckybutt

First things first make sure your locks are BS kite marked and if you feel the need update them to BS insurance approved ones, your insurer will ore likely than not have set criteria for what type of locks you need on your front and rear doors, check your policy.

Alarms - do your neighbours have alarms fitted ? if they haven't and you go sticking one in then you stick out like a sore thumb...a burglar might think Ohhh an alarm they have something worth nicking.
Alarms come in various types and designs, wireless - wired with or without internet access.
Again if you want an insurance approved alarm you will need a NACOSS approved alarm company to fit it for you - check with your insurers if that's the case. The cheaper option is to get a non registered fitter to fit one for you, personally I would go for a wire version as they are easier to maintain etc.

Safe's I haven't got a clue on, never had one except for a fire rated safe for documents and one for my firearm.

Mojisola

Our safe is fixed very securely to an outside wall and in an awkward place which would make it very difficult to get tools around or behind it if someone did attempt to remove it.

iammumtoone

bluedrop wrote: »

We live in a 3 bed semi in a fairly safe area.

So why do you need to take extra precautions? Most burglars are opportunists and will enter via an unlocked door or open window. If yours are secure they will simply move onto the next house. Unless off course you dress it up like fort knox and burglars will think you have something worth breaking and entering for.

Did you rent previously? Did you have a burglar alarm on that home? I don't see why you would suddenly need one just because this house has a mortgage?

As long as you make sure you have good door locks (change the locks in case the previous owners gave out loads of keys) and window locks if you feel the need you should be ok.

anotherbaldrick

First thing is get an approved locksmith round to assess your security and change all the existing security door locks , you do not know if you have all the keys or if someone out there has a set of keys they have not handed over.
Call a known alarm company like ADT and get them to install a basic system cost about £350 . Do not worry if the neighbours have not got one , if you have good security they will go and do them !

Myser

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

...Call a known alarm company like ADT and get them to install a basic system cost about £350 . Do not worry if the neighbours have not got one , if you have good security they will go and do them !

Not always the best option! Obtain a few quotes from local NACOSS approved alarm companies. NACOSS accreditation is recognised by most home insurers.

You will be paying over the odds with companies like ADT for what is most likely a basic system. You can have a much better alarm fitted for £350.

If you want alarm monitoring, a local alarm company should be able to offer this. Some of the modern systems even offer smart phone access/alerts.

lemontart

http://content.met.police.uk/Site/crimepreventionbumblebee

also check with your local police force and see if they offer inspections and or advice

closed

They may take gold detecting eyes, but thats about it.

The weakest part of any (locked) house is either the windows, or the patio/back door, or anything with snapable/bumpable euro cylinder locks

ic

6 foot fences, a locked side gate (preferably level with the front of the house so there is nowhere to hide down the side of the house), prickly plants, gravel (noisey underfoot), barking dogs, PIR floodlighting, locked doors and windows, and an alarm system are good to have. Also don't place wheelie bins on the outside of the locked gate, or they can be used as an aid to jump the fence.

You can get self fit burglar alarms - I've got this one: http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=948676. I've been very happy with it, it is extendable, but is battery run. It will dial out to several phones if triggered. The display unit will tell you when a particular sensor needs its batteries replacing. Wired systems will be better in the long run, but will cost more to fit upfront. If you tell insurers you have an alarm, you may get an annual discount (5 - 10%) BUT you must use it! If you've declared you had an alarm and subsequently get broken into but the alarm wasn't set, the insurer could use it as a reason to refuse or reduce payment.

Make sure nothing is in easy view from windows. Hide car keys out of sight, down leave them in reach/view of the letter box.

Ensure your locks are insurance approved - generally multipoint locking (double glazed doors) or 5 lever mortice locks. As said above, replace all your locks when you move in - don't trust the previous occupants. All doors and windows must have locks, are be sealed shut using security screws. If you have a porch, make sure the porch door is locked and has a suitable lock - this is the "final exit door" and your front door proper is treated as an internal door. Again if you're broken into and the porch door is open, insurers may use this as a reason not to pay.

At the end of day, a burglar can go round the back of the house and smash a window, grab stuff and go. Your job is to make it difficult, but without being detrimental to your life. You have insurance to help put things back to normal. If they have an improved chance of being seen, they'll move on and find the next easy target - its rare they ever plan to break in to a particular house.

poppellerant

Forget alarms. Waste of money buying things that just make loud noises that people ignore.

CCTV is the better solution, but at least buy cameras with good image quality.

ic

poppellerant wrote: »

Forget alarms. Waste of money buying things that just make loud noises that people ignore.

CCTV is the better solution, but at least buy cameras with good image quality.

Until they wear a cap or put their hat up. CCTV might help help solve the crime, but probably won't stop it in the first place. Same with a burglar alarm - its a deterrent, they'll be less likely to stay if there's sirens going off bringing attention to them - but an easy smash and grab will still always be tempting- hence my suggestions above about fences, gates, etc to make it difficult in the first place.

Believe it or not, but people do take notice of alarms - I had a policeman knock on one time - he was passing my house earlier in the day and the alarm was going, so he checked the house over to ensure it was secure, then came back at the end of the shift to let me know. :T