You might have seen that the local police forces run campaigns from time to time to alert home owners to criminal activity in their area. For example, there might be a crime wave involving the theft of car stereo equipment causing a lot of call outs, so the local force will be keen to encourage you to secure your vehicle when unattended and avoid leaving valuables on display, so thieves will not know if there is anything to steal.
The motivation for the police is two fold, firstly, their job is to protect the public from crime, and secondly, to a lesser extent, they are trying to reduce their own workload at a time of budget cuts when their resources are already stretched.
At present, you can see one of these campaigns in action across Staffordshire, and the force have teamed up with home security experts to help households understand what they can do to better protect their homes. For example, national company ADT are able to fit monitored intruder alarm systems across the county, while ATRCCTV’s video camera installers are offering security equipment at promotional prices for properties in Lichfield and Tamworth.
Of course, you don’t have to get a company in to fit security equipment, there’s a wide range of solutions to buy at stores like Amazon, and you can fit them yourself if you’re confident with your DIY skills. Check your insurance policy ahead of time, though, as you might find that a professionally fitted system can reduce your premiums.
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating – the best way to protect yourself from thieves is to increase the chance that they’ll get caught. A criminal will almost always be put off stealing from a home or vehicle that is alarmed and otherwise protected, especially if there are others nearby that pose less of a risk to them getting away scot free. No-one wants to pass the problem to their neighbours, but if you have the easiest target for thieves on your road, you’re more likely to be the next victim.
Improving the security of your home is every bit as important as other improvements, and when you’re investing in other areas, like the solar panels we discussed last time, keeping your home safe is even more important to protect those investments.