WITH house break-ins on the rise it’s the ideal time to look at home security.
Crimestoppers has launched a new Scotland-wide campaign aimed at defeating thieves after it was revealed such crimes had increased by five per cent to 9,126 incidents for the year ending September 2023.
The charity, which works with the police taking anonymous calls, hopes to raise awareness of how Scots can protect their property by speaking up if they know of a planned break-in or have witnessed suspicious activity.
Angela Parker, Scotland National Manager for Crimestoppers, said: “We always say it’s not a victimless crime. People think it’s just possessions but they can be sentimental.
“We do know criminal gangs are operating across Scotland that target properties with high value items so it’s very much organised.”
Here are Angela’s tips for protecting your home.
CCTV CAMERAS
If would-be criminals spot CCTV cameras, they’re unlikely to try to break in – they are such a good deterrent.
As well as making a home less approachable, if someone does break in, there is much higher chance of conviction.
Having footage of a thief committing the crime can make it much easier to detect the culprit and get it through court.
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INDELIBLE PENS
Marking your property in a way that is not visible is a sensible move – indelible pens are great for this.
They are a great tool to use for jewellery. If a piece is stolen and a thief tries to sell or pawn it on, there is a way to track and identify it.
Meanwhile, you can register your valuables on immobilise.com it’s a site police use to identify the owners of recovered property.
DOORBELL CAMERAS
These video cameras – which show live who’s at the door and can record footage too – are great for catching scams and frauds.
They’re also useful in catching opportunist thieves in the act trying the locks or carrying out recces.
And they’re especially useful to catch those targeting vulnerable people.
DOUBLE DOWN ON LOCKS
You should make it as difficult as possible for someone to gain entry to your home.
Use a double lock system – such as a bolt and a chain – and an alarm to ward off intruders.
Making sure you gave good, secure locks will help you sleep better at night.
USE COMMON SENSE
Don’t announce on social media when you’re going on holiday.
And don’t use your car as a shop window in the driveway by leaving items in full view of people passing.
Always close your blinds and curtains when you’re not home and leave a light on, if it’s safe to do so, with a timer setting.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Check in your area to see if there is a Neighbourhood Watch group – you can become a member and sign up to their alert systems. This is a fantastic tool as it alerts people to incidents in their area.
People can also post locally on social media if they’ve been broken into or spotted suspicious people.
It’s an example of social media being used for good to share important information about security.
SAFELY STORE PACKAGING
Home deliveries are now an almost everyday occurrence on Scottish streets.
Make sure if you’re getting expensive goods delivered that you’re not advertising it by leaving the packaging on view. Put it all straight in your recycling bin and keep it out of sight.
Similarly, make sure to choose a good safe place for deliveries if you’re not going to be home – having packages sat on your doorstep is asking for trouble.
USE A SAFE
If you have high value items, you can be more likely to be targeted.
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It’s sensible to put them in a safe deposit box somewhere away from your house.
If you have to keep them at home, use a locked safe that is difficult to access. It’s good protection if it’s hard to get into and weighs a good amount so it can’t be easily moved.
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