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House Security

Put yourself in the housebreaker's position. How would you get in if you were locked out? The chances are that a thief will use the same route!

How attractive is your home to the housebreaker? Look at our do and don't checklists and see how many vulnerable spots you can identify in your home's defences.

Flats and houses in inner city areas often stand a much greater chance of being broken into, but the risk is not just restricted to them. If there's no one in all day, and your home isn't overlooked, you'll need to take particular care. The majority of housebreak-ins take place during daytime, not at night, as many people think and the intruders often get in downstairs at the back. In many cases a housebreaker can be in and out in just a few minutes.

If you have recently moved in find out who has got the keys. Consider changing the locks or having them re-levered. Contact the installer of any existing alarm system, the number can often be found on the bell box or control panel, and ask them to check it over.

To secure your home against the opportunist housebreaker who steals cash and valuable items, which are on view

• Check locks of ground floor doors and windows
• Check that upstairs windows overlooking flat roofs or balconies have locks
• Check the garage doors are locked
• Check the security of shed doors and windows.

If you live in a flat or maisonette you should also check the main communal entrance security and the security of sky lights.

Not surprisingly, detached houses are more at risk than semi-detached or terraced properties. This is because they are often secluded, and neighbours may not be able to see or hear housebreakers at work. Houses or flats near ends of streets or backing onto alleyways, parks, fields or waste ground are also particularly at risk, because of the ease of access. Walls, fences and shrubs around the garden may give you greater privacy, but they also enable the thief to work unnoticed. Patio doors give you a good view out, but they can provide an easy way into your home.

The important thing is that you should be aware of the risk that you face and take all the necessary precautions.

An intruder alarm installed and used properly can deter the housebreaker. The sight of an alarm bell box outside a home has been proved to discourage break-ins. The law now requires that an alarm bell or siren cut out after 20 minutes. Some alarms may continue with a flashing light.

It is important to remember that a housebreaker alarm is not a substitute for installing good locks and physical security, but it is an additional measure to help reduce the opportunity for crime.