Secure your house

CCTV and smart doorbells can be valuable deterrents to use these alongside good quality physical security.

CCTV

• Read the  read the Information Commissioners Office’s (ICO) advice on use of home CCTV systems.
• Position cameras where they are best able to capture good-quality facial images, to be able to identify people from the footage more easily. Cameras should also be out of reach to prevent tampering.
• Cover vulnerable areas at relevant times of the day, such as the need for infra-red technology to record night-time activity.
• The CCTV system should have a recording and storage capability of at least 30 days, to make sure you can share any evidence with the police or your insurer.
• Regularly clean the cameras to maintain image quality, for example, by removing spiders’ webs or debris.

Visit Secured by Design for a list of approved CCTV suppliers.

Smart doorbells

Smart doorbells and camera systems can be a very effective deterrent because they:

• are linked to your phone or tablet and alert you to any activity
• enable you to view live-stream video footage to your phone in real-time
• record footage that can be used for evidential purposes

The footage recorded on a smart doorbell can also be used to bring intruders to justice, as you can share the evidence with the police to help secure a conviction.

External

• Make sure any entrances and exits to your house are well lit, and out of reach of tampering.
• Consider fitting a security bulk headlight at the front and back of your house, and use low-energy light bulbs with dusk-to-dawn sensors so they are on during hours of darkness.
• Ensure any trees and plants do not obscure your lighting, and cut vegetation back each spring and during the growing season.
• Floodlights fitted with infra-red movement sensors can also be used, although they can be easily activated by animals which may cause unnecessary alarm.
• Try to avoid bollard lighting as the primary external light source for a house, as it often fails to illuminate faces to a satisfactory level and can be easily tampered with.

Internal

• Use an automatic plug-in time switch to operate lamps or lights at pre-set times, even if you are away from the house.
• Vary the times your internal lights switch on, so potential offenders do not become familiar with your routine.
• Lighting an upper room on a timer can also be an increased deterrent.
• Use LED bulbs – they use less electricity than conventional bulbs and do not generate much heat, meaning they last longer and reduce any fire risk.

Secure all doors and windows – if they are not secure, neither is your property.

Exterior doors

• Make sure the doors and frames are made out of solid timber or are of robust composite construction.
  • Timber doors should have a British Standard mortice sashlock in the centre of the door, with either rack bolts or surface-mounted lockable bolts in the top and bottom corners.
• Door viewers or restrictor chains are recommended, so you can identify a visitor before the door opens.
• Fit back and front doors with five-lever mortice deadlocks – and use them.
• Glazing on or around doors can be reinforced with special film or replaced with laminated glass panels.
• Fit a letterbox cage to stop someone reaching in to open the door, or access nearby items such as keys.
• Check the door hinges are sturdy and secured with strong long screws. Consider using inexpensive hinge bolts to help reinforce the hinge side of a door against the use of force.

Patio doors

Patio doors and windows are often targeted by thieves.

You can get specialist advice when fitting a patio door, with security in mind.

• Patio doors should have special locks fitted top and bottom unless they already have a multi-locking system.
• Aluminium patio windows are often the weakest type. Modern UPVC should come with multi-point locking systems as standard.

If you are replacing a broken or defective lock, or looking to improve the security of existing doors, use a Locksmith registered with the Master Locksmiths Association.

• Fit key-operated window locks to all downstairs windows and easily accessible upstairs windows, for example, those above a flat roof or by a drainpipe.
• Even small windows, such as skylights or bathroom fanlights, need locks – a thief can get through any gap larger than the human head.
• Remember to remove keys from locked windows and to keep them out of sight in a safe place.
• If you are replacing windows, consider laminated glass. It has a layer of vinyl between two sheets of glass, making it difficult to break.
• As a last resort, consider fitting security grilles to vulnerable windows – many DIY shops now sell decorative wrought iron grilles.

There are three different types of intruder alarm, with each varying in capability and cost.

Audible alarms

These sound a loud siren or bell, are designed to scare an intruder and alert neighbours and passers-by. However, they do not automatically trigger a police response.

Police will only respond to a 999 call while the crime is in progress, or if someone is in immediate danger.

Monitored alarms

Once triggered, these systems send a signal to an alarm company or designated keyholder, who can check if it is not a false alarm. Monitoring companies alert the police, if required.

Monitored alarms must be installed by a professional, while costs are usually involved for monitoring and maintenance.

Auto-dialler device

An auto-dialler alarm can connect to your existing security, fire, or other sensor system to automatically call or text you (or other keyholders) when an alarm is triggered.

This provides instant, remote alerts to let you know something needs your attention, often with options to listen in or even reset the system if you are not there.

Security system companies

To get information on companies who supply and install security systems, such as intruder alarms, panic buttons, or CCTV, in your area, we advise you contact the following independent inspectorate bodies:

National Security Inspectorate (NSI)
Sentinel House
5 Reform Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire, SL6 8BY

Tel: 01628 637512
Email: nsi@nsi.org.uk
Website: www.nsi.org.uk

Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board (SSAIB)
7-11 Earsdon Road
West Monkseaton
Whitley Bay
Tyne and Wear, NE25 9SX

Tel: 0191 296 3242
Email: ssaib@ssaib.co.uk
Website: www.ssaib.org

If you plan to invest in a security system that would get police response once activated, only security companies ‘Approved’ by an independent inspectorate body and who are listed with Avon and Somerset Constabulary are permitted to offer this service.

For further information, email alarmsoffice@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Remember to keep vehicle and house keys out of view in your property. A significant amount of vehicle crime is committed when car keys are stolen during burglaries.

• Keep keys in a locked cupboard or cabinet or, at night, take them to bed with you. Making keys safe stops an opportunist burglar having instant access to a car during a break-in.
• Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place, such as under a doormat or in a flower pot – a thief will look there first.
• Ask a friend or trusted neighbour to hold keys for you instead. They may also be prepared to look after your home while you are on holiday, and you could do the same for them. This also helps you to get to know your neighbours, improving your security.
• If you have moved into a new house, consider changing the back and front door locks – other people may have keys which fit.