How do you make your house secure affordably?

I_have_spoken

+ Net curtains/opaque window film so you're not showing a 'shop window' to burglars

+ Table lamp in hall on a timer to switch on/off randomly during evening

+ New anti-bump Euro cylinders on UPVC doors so you know who has all the keys

+ Change mortice locks in wooden doors for 5-lever with bolts that resist hacksawing

+ Door chain on front door

+ On wooden doors, hinge bolts into frame and throw bolts top and bottom, accessible from inside only

+ Side throw bolts on 'up and over' garage door

+ Lockable side gate so folks can't sneak around back

+ Anti-climb/spikes along top of back wall/fences

+ PIR activated lights on back and side, but use 100W bulk-head lights not 500W floods that create shadows to hide in

+ Lockable handles on all windows

+ Lockable cable window restrictors on ground level windows and any window easily accessed from extension/garage roof

+ Alarm system, with a dial-out so it'll ring your mobi when triggered. The 100% wireless systems are easy to install and you can add more sensors. Two alarms boxes to confuse which is the dummy and which is real

+ Decent quality safe (£2000 cash rating) for your papers, laptop, jewellery which is bolted into external wall

+ IP cameras in house so you see what's happening from t'interweb

+ Record serials, IMEI etc. of gear

paulsad

Have a son that has a few mates round all the time and is up all night, also he buys a rottweiller pup that you end up feeding and walking - the dog then takes over the house protection duties whilst sonny (& pals) sleeps all day ... I speak from experience, no burlaries though!

brit1234

LiveOnce wrote: »

How do you make a house more secure? What steps can you take to make it sure while keeping it affordable?

My top 3

1, Sash window bolts on side of window. In west london the most common entry is using flat head screwdrivers or crow bars to leaver ground floor window. These bolts make it far harder to open window to get in and are cheap. Never seen a window targeted with these, its always with out.



2, Thumb turn dead lock on bottom and top of front door. Convenient at night to just turn at night and easy to get out in emergency. The 2nd main way is to kick in the front door. Dead locks at the top and bottom distribute the force making it far harder. They also prevent locks being slipped. London and Birmingham bars can be added to secure further.




3, Cutting back any hedges or foliage in front garden so it isn't secluded for burglars to work. Burglars prefer properties where they can duck down and be out of sight.

anotheruser

I'm all for being secure but the more you have, the more you have to steal.

For instance a shed with a standard padlock on it will look "normal" but one with a huge padlock may make a burglar think there is something expensive inside, hence the larger lock.

Hermoine

Its also worth looking at crime statistics for your area and talking to the local police, as well as observing what your neighbours are doing in terms of security. That way what you do will be proportionate to the actual risk of crime where you live. Many areas are pretty safe, and if money is tight,, you may not need expensive systems and deterrents.

BERTIE21_2

To improve your security you need to look at your property (and neighbours) like a criminal and understand what they are thinking
for whatever reason they want to get things of value to sell and at the same time they are in fear of getting caught so they will be looking for an easy target or to get to a place where they can get in away from the view of a neighbour or passers by
I would expect the criminal to walk down a road and look for an opportunity where they can get out of sight without arousing suspicion

so in the mindset of a burglar i would look for openings that i could casually walk down to get out of sight without prying eyes watching what I am about to do
so if i had a street full of houses with half with a gated front and railings I would be looking at the ones without
a dwarf wall could easily jumped over with no noise a drive can be walked up but remember a gate can be opened but a locked gate can not
also if someone saw me climbing a 6 ft gate what would they do the chances are they know im upto no good, if they didnt call the police there and then they would remember me.

ok thats the front covered but i still dont want to break into a house from the front where anyone could walk / drive past and see me I want to get round the back this is where you want a side gate again If there is a side gate 6ft high its not ideal to climb it again i am increasing the risk of being seen. even better you could add a light trellis above it so even if i climbed the gate ive got a trellis aswell that isnt going to support my weight so I might fall and hurt my self (and the best bit is if they hurt themselves in this way the homeowner can not get into trouble like they would if I had put cemented in broken glass bottles on a plinth above!!- remember burglars have rights too -stupid i know.)

ok you have got the front covered what about the back are all your fence panels in good order is there any gaps where someone could slip through is it a high fence you could go further and again top it with trellis to put them off
is there any trees that could be used as a ladder if so give them a trim
if you have panels maybe put some screws in to stop them being raised up easy on wooden posts but can be done on concrete posts with a hammer drill

my priority would be to keep them off my land altogether and also the cost of these has two benefits not only does it improve security it makes your home look nicer at the same time
a guy i know makes gates and railings quite cheaply and delivers them all over the country and is very helpful just search irongatecompany to find him

dancingfairy

Has something happened to cause this? Has there been a spate of thefts in the local area?
I agree with those that have said that burglars will look for the easiest options. A determined burglar will go to a lot of effort but only if they believe you have something of particular value to them, mostly they just want a quick turnaround or are opportunist.
Maybe the police in your area can give you some hints and tips, maybe a PCSO or local warden?
Also remember the basics as well. Don't put expensive boxes outside your house (ie that new tv you got for xmas, xbox or whatever). Leave a light on if you are going out or get a timer (these are quite cheap). Maybe an outside light that's motion triggered?
Blinds/net curtains. Don't have the lights on in the dark without the curtains drawn especially if you are on a read as people can see in.
Decent locks.
A burglar alarm if possible.
Anything of value I'd keep a record of somewhere and get it security marked if posisble(and registered with the police if it is especially valuable like an old painting etc).Keep a note of security numbers, insurance details etc.
df

xMonsoonx

Invest in a safe, install it somewhere hidden and put anything you treasure/could not be without (photos, jewellery, documents) in it when its not in use.

pawsies

phill99 wrote: »

Alternatively get a territorial dog (border collie, German Sheppard etc). I had 2 very protective collies who would bark if anyone passed within 50 feet of the house. Best security ever.

bouicca21 wrote: »

A simple solution is to have a dog.:j

ONLY if you already want to get a dog. It is a companion not a piece of equipment you can toss!!!

Also, rotties and collies would not be the best choice for a first time inexperienced dog owner. Something like a golden retriever or westie may be a better choice.

bouicca21

Pawsies everyone needs a dog to love and be loved. That they keep burglars away is just a bonus.

And of course the best place to get a dog is from a rescue centre .... This is both money saving compliant and altruistic. So win, win.