Half-term warning to avoid break-ins while you are on holiday – don’t get caught out
BRITS jetting off for the half-term break are being warned to watch for break-ins while away on holiday this month.
Following a few simple tips could help homeowners avoid a nasty surprise when they get back home.
Thieves are most likely to strike when homeowners are away, but there are some easy home-security hacks to help keep them at bay.
Home security expert Beth Priestley from Toolstation has provided some top tips to stop burglars in their tracks to the Express.
Clear valuables from your shed
Many homeowners keep expensive items like power tools and bikes in their shed, but this might be the first place a thief would think to look.
Pricey products are easily nicked from a shed when the house is empty, and the expert warned that “it’s a good idea to keep these somewhere more secure while on holiday”.
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Not only are they full of expensive kit, but sheds are also often less secure than homes or garages – and burglars know it.
The same goes for common-shed fillers like tools and ladders, which may be a god-send for a would-be thief.
Beth said: “It might surprise you to hear that most burglars don’t carry the equipment needed to help them break in.
“Rather, they are opportunist thieves who look for tools to help them break in that can be found outside your home.”
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Cancel online deliveries
A pile of unclaimed deliveries is not just an opportunity for a thief to nick a parcel, it can also be an advertisement of an empty home.
Beth explained that boxes of deliveries on the front step are “a tell-tale sign that nobody is at home.”
Avoid this red flag by briefly halting your online shopping and putting a hold on regular deliveries like newspapers and milk.
Keep your holiday plans to yourself
While everyone enjoys bragging about their upcoming holidays, doing so could turn your home into a target.
It is believed that over 40 per cent of burglars live close to their victims and are often people the homeowner’s know, according to research by ADT.
“This is why it’s a good idea to avoid discussing your travel plans with anybody apart from close friends and family,” Beth said.
The same goes for social media posts, which may be seen by scouting criminals.
In fact, recent studies suggest thieves are increasingly looking online to find empty homes, and Beth advised “making your accounts private or refrain from posting about your holiday until you return home”.
Double-check the locks
As many as one in four burglaries are carried out simply through an unlocked door or window.
Alongside losing your precious items, making it so easy for a thief can also invalidate your home and contents insurance.
Beth added: “It’s paramount to ensure every door and window is tightly locked when leaving your home unattended”.
Make it appear that you are home
Automatic timer switches can turn devices on and off at certain times, making it look like someone is home which can deter burglary attempts.
“This is a great way to make it look like somebody’s in the house while you’re away,” Beth said.
“You could programme the radio to come on for a few hours during the day and table lamps to switch on in the evening.”
Hide your valuables
Opportunistic looters will often pick a house purely because they see a pricey item in open view.
Keeping expensive products away from windows, especially on the ground floor, is an easy tip to put off a robber.
Experts at ADT said when thieves enter a home “the most likely items to be stolen are small, valuable items that are left in plain sight and it can make a huge difference if you hide your most valuable possessions before you leave home”.
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Posting on local Facebook groups and joining Neighbourhood Watch communities can also help raise awareness of crime in your area.
ADT experts added that doing so can help you “keep up to date with what’s going on, what’s being shared in your town, or if there is anything you should be on the lookout for, eg. door knocking scams”.