Max Your Cash: Home security
Post categories: home
| 19:32 UK time, Wednesday, 18 March 2009
The latest figures show that burglaries in England and Wales are down 6% - but Chief Constable of South Wales Barbara Wilding has warned we could see the number of home break-ins increase as we get deeper into the recession.
By spending some time and money protecting your home and possessions now, you could save yourself a fortune in the long-run.
More than 80% of burglaries are opportunistic - something that Mike Luxton from Roath in Cardiff knows only too well.
He told Lucy he has been burgled six times in the past 12 years.
"You don't feel safe in your own home once you've been burgled, even if it's just once," Mike said.
Since he improved his door locks and got two German Shepherd dogs, Mike has not experienced another break-in.
Cardiff's officer Steve Abson took Lucy for a tour round a typical house to demonstrate ways of ensuring you are not targeted.
"Thirty-six percent of house burglaries occur when people have broken in through unsecure premises. That means doors and windows haven't been locked," Steve said.
He said letting prickly bushes grow quite high will put people off climbing over them, getting good outdoor lighting and ensuring valuable tools are locked away in a shed are all important tips.
If you'd like to talk to a crime prevention officer like Steve, your local police station should be able to refer you.
Reduce the riskBy making your home more secure, not only do you reduce the risk of a break-in, but you could get a discount on your home insurance.
Fitting a burglar alarm could get you a discount of up to 12%, for instance. Strong, visible window locks are a good deterrent for thieves, and could get you up to 5% off your insurance policy.
And once your security measures are in place, it's essential that they are properly maintained if you expect your insurers to pay out, should the worst happen.
Each home insurance policy offers different incentives, so check what yours has to offer.
Protect your possessionsWhen it comes to protecting your home, it's not just burglars you need to be wary of. Carelessness can lead to a house fire, which could see all your valuables go up in smoke.
Lucy met up with Vaughan Jenkins from South Wales Fire Service, who told her about the free home safety checks available.
Vaughan said: "It's a simple 20-25 minute check. We'll fit free 10-year smoke detectors if they're required within the property and we'll test any existing detectors. We can then go through the property and give them information specific to their own home."
Call 0800 169 1234 to arrange your free fire safety check.
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