Bonfires and burgers! An annual time of fun for families, Firework Night is also a prime time for burglars to strike.
Here's how to make sure your family home isn't targeted by a bad 'Guy' this year...
Firework Night tops the chart for burglary incidents, with reported household thefts increasing by over 100per cent in 2018, according to Aviva.
Robbers know people will be out for several hours enjoying sparklers and watching the sky burst into colour. They also rely on the loud whizzes and bangs to mask the sound of them breaking in.
And, with the 5th November being midweek, the festivities can easily stretch over ten days!
Here are some tips to remember, remember...
If you’re going out:
- Ensure that all doors and windows are properly locked - do you know that many homeowners with uPVC doors leave them improperly locked by not twisting the handle while turning the key? This means burglars specifically target homes with uPVC doors because they are easy pickings!
- Close all blinds and curtains - don't let burglars window shop your valuables while you're out!
- Store all valuables out of sight - If the curtains are shut, desperate thieves will go as far as peeking through the letterbox to see if there's anything valuable in reaching distance. Keep valuables in a safe place when you're out.
- Leave some lights on a timer - Stop worrying about the few extra pence on the electricity bill! Coming home to your house the way you left it is more important. Leaving a light on fools burglars into thinking you are home.
- Play a radio or TV in a couple of rooms - Leaving lights on isn't always enough these days, background noise makes the illusion more believable.
- For ultimate security, a monitored intruder alarm will not only deter opportunist burglars, it will immediately alert the Alarm Receiving Centre to anyone daft enough to still try to break in. If your system is
If you’re having Fireworks Night at home:
- Keep the front of the house locked up while you’re out the back - a burglar doesn't need very long to strike while you're distracted! If you have an alarm you can set in zones, use it to protect the front of the home for worry-free fun in the garden.
- Don't leave signs on the door - sometimes people leave a note on the gate or front door telling guests to let themselves in or come to the back gate. Burglars will take advantage of this "Welcome" sign. Instead, ask guests to call you when they arrive so you can let them in and lock the door after them.
- Take our home security quiz to discover how safe your home really is from burglars and bad guys!
Take the quiz and beat the burglars!
Are you a security sparkler or a damp squib? Click the image below and see how YOUR home security scores in our quick quiz!
