Foiling burglars

All around the UK, police are reporting a rise in burglaries recently. Sometimes the thieves' work is made easier by open windows on hot summer days, but many times entry is made due to weak doors or inadequate locks. Yes, the very door that you hope looks appealing and inviting to visitors can also look quite inviting to a burglar when it advertises easy access to your home.

To avoid being the victim of a burglary yourself, you should take steps to make your home less appealing to thieves.

The following factors can make a break-in more likely:
 open windows on the ground floor or other accessible locations
 ladders left out-of-doors
 garden tools, which could assist in forcing entry, left out
 bushes or tall landscaping in front of lower-level windows
 parcels or milk bottles left on the doorstep
 mail and newspapers piling up in the letterbox

Fortunately, some simple steps can help safeguard your belongings. Start with the points of entry. Never leave accessible windows open. On the other hand, a house shut tight in hot weather almost advertises its emptiness, so it's not a bad idea to leave a couple of upper story windows open. Make sure your doors and locks are strong. A door like RockDoor boasts a strong, complex deadbolt lock encased in steel, foiling thieves who would pick the lock. Yet there's nothing that makes burglars chuckle more than a complicated lock set into a door with a large, breakable window. That's why the RockDoor is made of strong composites, which resist impact and are almost impossible to cut through.

Further steps can be taken to reduce the chance of being burgled:
 Don't label your house keys. If they are lost and the wrong person finds them, you don't want to provide directions!
 Keep valuables, as much as possible, out of sight from windows. Place car keys and handbags away from windows.
 Set timers to turn lights on and off automatically.
 Install locks on your windows.
 When away, ask a neighbour to keep an eye on your place and to clear your doorstep or letterbox when needed.

With this minimal investment-in timers, window locks, and a RockDoor for front and back-you can protect your valuables and discourage those who would help themselves to them.