Garden gates

Here's a quick tip for you; we do this every night.

Shut your garden gates

You've paid for a lovely set of gates to your driveway but the only time when you actually shut them is when you're on holiday. How much of a clue do you think is there for the observant opportunist thief?

Take the time to shut the gates when you get home. Once you've established the habit, you'll feel uneasy when you don't do it. It's the same when you put on the seat belt in the car - after a while, it doesn't feel natural when you forget to do it.

Thieves like an easy getaway route; if you've taken the time to shut your garden gates, it's much more likely that you've got your doors and windows locked, making them go look for an easier target.

Home Security - Tips and Tricks

Hi - welcome to our new blog about home security.

It's amazing when you watch tv shows about home security - you know, the ones which show ex-burglars wandering round a street, identifying the homes which they think are most vulnerable. They assess the potential of each house by the state of repair of the outside. If the garden gate's falling to bits, the windows look unkempt, the fence is falling down, they instantly recognise that there's an invitation to burgle and that you're likely to be equally careless with your valuable property.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to give you tips and tricks to make your home look the least vulnerable in your street - sending the burglars on to the next house along. Not so nice for your neighbors but you will be protecting your precious personal belongings.