Burglaries Down Because Technology Is More Sophisticated.

Recently there has been controversy surrounding the new crime website launched by the police. We also read in the papers about the high tech gadgets that are installed in homes to prevent burglaries. But burglary numbers are falling, compared with 1981 where there were 749,000 homes burgled in England and Wales, in 2010 there were 659,000. Around 30 years ago there were 373,000 incidents which resulted in burglars removing goods from people’s homes but in 2010 the number was 276,000. The bigger the house the less likely you are to be burgled. Improvements in security mean that it is harder than ever for burglars to get into properties and so the wealthy have witnessed the sharpest drop in burglaries.

Some people in London make it nearly impossible for a burglar to get into their homes. Take Cornwall Terrace near Regents Park as an example. Homes there cost around £31million and so they beef up their security. Their houses have armour plated garage doors, finger print and retina scanning entry systems and motion sensitive intruder alarms not only in the homes but in the grounds.

The more modest your home unfortunately means the more likely you are to be burgled. One man in South London found his home burgled twice in 2010, once when they were all in work. The usual things were stolen, iPhone, laptop and cash. They had gotten in through a smashed rear window. The homeowner then installed fitted lockable bolts to stop the sash windows being opened and was going to have alarms fitted last month. However different burglars, those of a more sophisticated kind, broke in just before Christmas. This time they stole the new replaced laptop, wallets, cash and a camera. They had forced the windows with a jack. This time the police gave him a mixture of sophisticated alarms, marking kits and identity chips for the valuables and his laptop can be accessed by him remotely and it can take photos of the person who has stolen it.

So what steps should you take?

· Prickly hedges which are quite thick can be as much of a deterrent as barbed wire. · Keep your front gate locked and your garage door closed. · DIY stores sell motion sensitive lights and CCTV which tells you when someone is approaching your door, the image can be shown on your TV. · Make sure doors have the British Standard kitemark PAS 24-1. It is known as a door with enhanced security. It means that the door is at least 44mm thick. Make sure that the door frame is solid also. Bolts should be located at the top and bottom of all doors, even patio ones. · Alarms are very effective and they costs about £400 to £600 depending on your area. Pay more and you can be linked to your local police for a more rapid response. Whichever you choose make sure that the alarm box is visible, this will put a burglar off before he even attempts to break in. · If away on holiday make sure you are home still looks as if someone is there. 45% of burglaries occur when people are away for more than one day. · Set timers to go randomly for lights and TV’s. · Cancel newspapers and milk and try not to have post visible. · Make sure you set the burglar alarm before you go.
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