Protecting your pad

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During winter, we tend to have more items in our drawers and cabinets than usual after Christmas. The police are advising people to not be targeted by the holiday thief. There are also some tips from former burglars on how to make your home less appealing to criminals.

Your front door may be the weakest link in your defense against burglary. It can be tempting for thieves to break in if it is old and weak looking or has only one cylinder. Alarms are no different. The trained eye can easily spot a dummy alarm, and inexpensive systems are easily bypassed by savvy criminals. Install a high-quality alarm system, preferably with a camera you can monitor from your office computer.

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You should install blinds, curtains and window locks to prevent your rooms from becoming a window for opportunists. Consider the accessibility to your side and rear. Have you got a gate on one side with a handle that is easy to grab and on the other, a wheelie-bin to protect a climber? Add some trellis to the top of the gate and move the bins around. This will make it more difficult and awkward for people to climb. Consider Electric Gate Installers Cheltenham. A site like Complete Gate are Electric Gate Installers Cheltenham.

Consider caging your letterbox if you keep your keys on a desk next to the door. A burglar could use wires or sticks to reach through your letterbox and pick up your keys, thus opening your door. They may also steal your car. Outside buildings such as sheds and gardens can be overlooked, but they could give a burglar easy access to tools that will make stealing from your home even easier. Double locks, as well as wiring windows to prevent thefts of expensive tools and bikes and other goods. They can also be used to stop thieves from getting their hands onto wrenches and spades.

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It is important to maintain neatly trimmed hedges, shrubs and trees around your home to avoid providing easy cover to any conmen lurking in the shadows. Plant bushes with thorns and prickles as this will deter anyone from sitting in one.

Motion sensors and security lights are great ways to alert anyone who approaches your home. They should be bright enough for them to spotlight anyone standing in the vicinity. Get a dog if you love animals and haven’t already! It doesn’t even have to be an actual guard dog. Dogs can deter burglars and even small dogs are effective because they create so much noise when someone approaches your property.