With summer drawing to a close and term about to begin in the next few weeks, you may want to have a last hurrah and spend the last moments of the summer holidays with an out-of-town trip. These trips, however, also mean leaving your home for days, making it susceptible for burglars and thieves to swipe all your valuables.
Coventry may be among the few areas in the U.K. that boast of low numbers of burglary incidents, but this does not mean that your home can’t be broken into by a determined intruder at any given day. No one wants to come home to a living space devoid of valuables, which is why it’s time to improve your home’s security and seek the help of a handyman in Coventry, along with these other safety tips to remember before going out on a holiday.
Don’t Give Them Tools
Ladders might be helpful in getting you up the roof, and garden gnomes and other ornaments might look lovely on your lawn, but a burglar can use these items for breaking into your home. Don’t give them opportunities to break into your home and ensure that your ladders are locked and stowed out of sight. Having garden ornaments are still great in improving your lawn’s appeal; just make sure that these won’t be massive enough to smash through windows.
Don’t Leave a Key
Surprisingly, more than 6,000 incidents of burglaries did not involve break-ins, but rather thieves using a key “hidden” by a homeowner. As preposterous as it sounds, 29 per cent of homeowners still tend to leave spare keys anywhere near their homes, be it under the mat or inside a letterbox. Make sure to keep your keys out of sight, and consider changing your locks should your keys become lost or stolen.
Invest in Burglar Alarms
Even the simplest burglar alarm systems can be an effective deterrent for a would-be thief. Reformed burglars admitted that they’re hesitant to burgle a home with a burglar alarm box, even fake ones. Investing on these systems can make your home a place that intruders would definitely avoid.
Lay a Lot of Pebbles or Shingle
Having a pebble or gravel drive is not only aesthetically pleasing; it can actually help in dissuading thieves from entering your home. Pebble or gravel drives, along with a shingled patio, are effective in making noise when someone approaches your home, thus attracting the attention of concerned bystanders.
If you need help in double- or triple-locking your home from thieves and burglars while you’re away, simply trust a handyman, like one working with Trade Squad Ltd., that serves homeowners in Coventry and the nearby areas.
Sources:
How to protect your home from burglars, The Week
How to protect your home from burglary, UKTV Home
Crime statistics for Coventry, Mirror.co.uk
