7th July: one of the worst days for burglary

7^th July is the third worst day of the year for burglaries, perhaps due to the warm weather. In warmer weather people are more likely to leave doors and windows open to let in cool air. This leaves homes incredibly vulnerable to theft.

Though many people only worry about security during the night, the majority of burglaries actually occur during daylight hours between 10am and 3pm when most people are at work, school, or running errands. It’s important to take precautions during the day, at night, and any time you leave the house to ensure your home stays secure, especially during summer months when many families are enjoying time outside the home, as burglars will choose these times to try to invade your home.

Check out our handy infographic on top ten tips for securing your home or read the rest of our article for a more in-depth summary. Our security grilles can help keep you on track for home security.

How to secure your home in the summer months

• If you want to keep windows and doors open during warm weather, a good solution is to consider Cross-Guard’s high-security grilles

These provide a physical barrier between a burglar and your home, while still allowing air to pass through freely, keeping you cool in summer and, most importantly, keeping your home safe from theft. There are a variety of aesthetically pleasing steel grilles that can withstand theft attempts

• Aside from Cross-Guard’s security  grilles, simple barriers can also be implemented to protect your home

Fences, gates, doors, and windows should always be kept closed and locked when possible

• If you don’t already have one, consider buying a fence

Open chain-link or ornamental metal fencing is preferable, ideally secured into concrete to prevent lifting. Fences can be better secured by adding sharp, pointed tops or rough barbed wire to the top

• Use curtains to cover up windows

Having your valuables on display through glass can draw attention to your property and encourage burglary

• Keep toys, tools, ladders, and expensive items inside a garage or shed instead of leaving them in your garden

These items can be easily and quickly grabbed as the burglar doesn’t even need to enter your home. Toys can also indicate a house filled with even more entertainment like tablets, which may prompt a burglary. Similarly, tools or a ladder may give an opportunistic thief help in gaining access to your house

• Secure valuables in a home safe or lockbox

If it is small and not mounted, consider having the safe bolted to the floor as many burglars will simply take it with them. Don’t keep the passcode posted anywhere in your house easily accessible to an intruder

• Don’t label personal keys or hide spares outside

If labelled keys are lost or stolen you could be in big trouble, especially if personal information like your ID or address is with them.

Thieves also know to look under mats and in gravel for fake rocks to find keys, so instead leave spares with a trusted neighbour or in a combination lockbox in a discrete area of your property

• Install a CCTV system

A Micromark survey of convicted burglars revealed that 67% of burglars would not target a house with CCTV, yet only 9% of homeowners have CCTV

• Do not advertise your holiday on social media

Though it can be tempting to tell the world about your vacation, do not put this information where burglars can access it. A burglar will be more likely to invade your home if they know you’re not going to be in it