Protecting your home from thieves

Keep your home safe from criminals

When you’re a home owner, tenant or lodger, there is a variety of excellent routes you can take to ensure your home and property are always fully protected and safe from burglars or intruders. Be sure to check our advice and put into action any areas that need improvement.

As surprising as it is, many people still leave spare home keys outside in case they lose or forget their own keys. Storing additional keys in an outside location such as a shed, garden area, garage or under a doormat is inviting a thief inside. Many criminals will check the most obvious hiding places and by leaving keys easily accessible you are making life simple for a potential intruder. Always attempt to keep sheds, garage areas and other exterior buildings locked and secured, alarming these with a battery powered system if possible.

Night time hours are favoured by burglars

Many burglaries occur during the evening hours or at night time; in fact 58% of break-ins are carried out after dark, with only 34% of burglaries at the weekend period. Ensure you keep curtains or blinds closed during the night, carefully removing any items of value out of sight so they may not be seen outside your property.

Remember not to leave door or window keys in place, within their locks. Always make sure that car keys or outside property keys (like a garage) are hidden from view and especially out of sight from a thief who could be looking through a letterbox.

If you are away or out for any period of time, especially during the night hours, it is a good idea to utilise timing devices for radios, lights and other household appliances. They can give the illusion that someone is resident at home to a thief by switching items on and off, even if the property is empty at the time.

Secure doors and windows

Externally opening doors are recommended to always consist of three points which are lockable. Locks of a mortice nature can add significantly improved safety to a door, purchase these online or via any reputable DIY shop. Deadlocks fitted to doors can prevent a thief from exiting your home after stealing, but never compromise your personal safety and ensure security improvements do not ever prevent a safe exit in case of emergency such as fire.

Remember to close doors and windows, even if leaving your home for a short period, thieves only need a moment to steal! When new metal or PVC built windows and doors are fitted to a property, check if these will come with an included chain and locks attached, adding these afterwards can sometimes be expensive and difficult.

Older windows or those that have no security can be easy routes inside, look into safeguarding these further with window locks. They can be a preventative nature in stopping a thief from entering your property, particularly where windows in place are single glazed or of older designs. Specially designed locks for patio doors and openings should be used at all times and added to unsafe areas, a locksmith or online service can advise further.

Lighting and CCTV

To discourage a thief from checking your property, well lit areas using security lighting and other means are advisable, alongside a good burglar alarm system which is highly visible to any unwanted visitor. Always ensure that lights do not affect your neighbours or cause any unwanted nuisance and alarm systems have an automatic cut off after a twenty minute period. CCTV systems can also be an excellent deterrent in stopping thieves in your locality.

Spy holes fitted to doors can be an excellent way in which to first see who is on the doorstep, before a door is opened. Always remember, Stop, Chain and Check especially when not expecting a visitor to call or if they are unknown.

Garden and outside property security is vital, do not place temptation within an easy route for thieves, remove this from sight and keep in locked garages or sheds. Leaving ladders and garden tools outside can be equipping the thief with an easier method of break in. Fit quality built padlocks to secure outside property areas if they have no locks in place.

Installing secure fences, shrubbery, trees and walled areas to protect your home can inadvertently lead to giving a wary thief the needed protection to go unseen whilst breaking in to a property. Consider replacing these with trellis areas, fencing of chain-link nature or shrubs that are prickly and sharp.

Security mark personal items and valuables

Remember to always security mark your property and possessions with a marking product, these are easy to obtain and can be an excellent way in identifying or recovering stolen property.

Finally, neighbourhood watch schemes that operate in your communities are an excellent source of further advice and help, as is your local police service or crime prevention officer.

Be wary of the pickpocket thief

Pickpocket thieves

Pickpockets are the ‘portable’ menace in society, attempting to steal valuables and possessions from unsuspecting individuals, who are often present in public areas or crowded places within communities.

The pickpocket thief is resourceful, cunning and will resort in bold and successful methods in order to steal from innocent victims.

Within our pick pocket overview, we have first selected some useful tips and information to help keep you safe from the stealthy pickpocket on the street, with a finishing section which outlines some common cons that a thief can practice to get away with your valuables.

Always protect yourself from the pickpocket

1. Before you use them, try and remember to make a note of all details and identifying number information on a driver’s licence, bank or credit cards, cheque books or similar. It is also an excellent idea to have to hand their respective emergency contact telephone numbers, which will need to be used immediately when reporting any theft. Ensure this information is safely stored at home or within another secured location.

2. When on the move or stationary, try not to hold a handbag or purse in the hand as the item can be very simply forced from your grasp by way of a knock or via a grabbing attempt. Purchasing and using a bag which has a shoulder strap design can be highly beneficial, always ensuring the exterior pockets or flap area are placed against your body.

Pickpockets can sometimes attempt to cut shoulder straps to remove them from a person, so be wary of this possibility. Handbags which incorporate a top opening facility are often attractive to the pick pocket thief.

3. Whilst many individuals consider walking with hands placed in the pockets to be impolite, the benefit of doing so will stop a thief from gaining access to them.

4. Never place all valuables together in a bag or other holdall or even wallet, and especially ensure keys to your home are placed in a pocket area.

5. If you can, it is safer to always conceal bank cards or cash within individual pockets, purses or wallets. Where practical, dividing currency to place in all storage areas will result in less significant theft if you are pick pocketed.

6. When out and about making everyday purchases in the newsagent or train station for example, it is easy to display cash or jewellery items unwittingly. Try and ensure this does not occur and keep smaller amounts of money separately available in purses or wallets, to reduce temptation to the would-be thief.

7. By keeping wallets, money sleeves or purses out of reach in the interior pockets of coats and jackets, or front facing pockets they are less inviting to pickpockets. Never leave a wallet protruding from a back trouser pocket; this is an easy, favoured location where a thief can simply and deftly steal your cash.

8. When involved in any shopping in busy community areas, be very vigilant as pickpockets can often practice their trade. Be watchful around shop entrance ways, bargain hunter sections, lifts, escalator paths, or areas which feature product demonstrations. All of these areas and similar places can give crowded cover to protect the thief who discreetly steals from others.

9. Always be very observant of surroundings before a cash machine is used and try to avoid using an ATM at night or in a secluded area. Where you observe suspicious looking individuals or groups, choose another location instead. When involved in the process, ensure that you are closely standing in front of the machine to block any observers from noting your PIN number details or becoming aware of the nature of your transaction.

When leaving an ATM you can confuse a potential thief by deliberately walking a short distance in the opposite way you intended, then sharply reversing your route. If it is apparent you are being followed, seek help from nearby groups of people or summon police assistance, dialling ’999′ where required.

10. Never leave items you own in a publicly accessible place without proper supervision, even for just a moment. So whether you are inspecting the wall timetable in a train station and turn your back on bags for a moment, or you place them on the floor to use a cash machine, don’t perform this. In doing so, it can leave you a tempting and easy target for thieves

Avoid the pickpocket ruse

Professional thieves operating as pickpockets will commonly work with a partner who is responsible for a distraction, which then allows the thief to engage in robbing the ‘marked’ victim. These distracting techniques are employed via a number of frequent ways, which include the following:

1. Fighting – where a resulting argument can occur, groups of people will naturally begin to interact and move around each other to avoid the actual fight. In the resulting confusion, pickpockets can avail themselves of your wallet, handbag or purse.

2. The helpful member of public – if you ever witness a person who loudly shouts ‘be careful of the pickpockets’ or similar phrase, they may be attempting to incite you or others to instinctively reach for their money or valuables. By doing so, easily and simply alerts pickpockets in the area to the exact location of your items.

3. Accidents – the resulting confusion which can stem from an accident which is caused by another can be all the time a thief needs to steal from you. A slipped foot or dropped possession in a crowded area are all that’s required to cause an instant episode of uncertainty in the area, leaving you a potential mark.

4. The apology – this classic is still very effectively used by the pickpocket and involves a speedy interaction where a collision on your person is planned. Performed either by way of a knock, bump, spill of food and drink or similar, the thief apologises, and then rapidly disappears with your possessions in hand.

Thieves and firearms

Gun Law and Crime in the UK

The UK has some of the strictest gun laws in the whole world. If you want to own a gun, the law makes it very difficult to do so and you will be subject to stringent controls. This of course is bad news to the thief, as possessing a gun legally is not as simple as it sounds.

Gun laws exist to try and avert terrible tragedies such as the recent Northumberland and Cumbrian shootings by Raoul Moat and Derrick Bird respectively in 2010, the 1987 Hungerford killings by Michael Ryan and the Dunblane massacre in 1996 committed by Thomas Hamilton.

However, even with stringent laws, these individuals managed to carry out their evil crimes.

During 2007, nine young people lost their lives in shootings, 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool was one of them. There were 59 firearms related murders in 2006 -2007, compared with 49 in the 2005 – 2006. That represents an 18% rise in just one year.

There were 507 serious injuries from firearms, that’s more than one incident a day. However, the trend in gun crime overall has been going down. This indicates that even with atrocities like these, the UK has one of the lowest rates of gun-related murders in the world. This is a figure that is four times lower than the USA, for example.

What are the Gun Laws in the UK?

In England and Wales, firearms and guns are subject to controls under the Firearms Act 1968, which has been amended several times in response to tragedies like Hungerford and Dunblane.

In Northern Ireland, the laws are covered by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 and are slightly more relaxed. In Scotland, gun laws are a bit more stringent due to the Dunblane murders, and they are subject to the Scotland Act 1998. This is under review with a view to tightening up the laws further to include legislation for air rifles which have been responsible for an alarming increase in misuse in recent years.

Any person who owns a firearm must hold a relevant certificate to prove that they are a suitable person to possess a weapon. There are two types of certificate that can be issued: a Shotgun Certificate or a Firearms Certificate.

Firearms or Shotgun Certificate?

There are some differences between the two certificates and the processes which an individual needs to go through in order to be granted one of them. A Firearms Certificate is generally harder to obtain because you have to explain why you need the weapon and justify your case for owning it.

Firearms Licences are normally only issued if the person applying can show that they have a genuine sporting or work-related reason for owning a weapon.

Shotguns are treated differently because there is the stance that, in the UK, anyone is theoretically entitled to own a shotgun as they are traditionally used for hunting and pest control purposes.

Shotguns (Section 2 Firearms under the 1968 Act as amended) are defined in UK law as ‘smoothbore’ firearms with barrels not shorter than 24 inches (60 cm) and a bore not larger than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, no revolving cylinder, and either no magazine or a non-detachable magazine that is not capable of holding more than two cartridges’. They are subject to slightly less rigorous checks and an individual can own as many shotguns as they like, as long as they can prove that they have safe storage capacity for all of them.

What are the regulations?

In order to obtain one of these documents, you need to apply to your local police station. The Police keep a register of all the firearms owners in the area. They hold details of the make, model and serial number of all weapons and they carry out checks to ensure that the person in control of the weapon is of sound character and has no previous criminal convictions, such as theft or burglary.

Anyone who has received a conviction of a sentence over three years will be disqualified for life from owning a gun or other weapon and ammunition. Anyone with a lesser conviction will be banned for 5 years.

The certificate holder must show that the weapons are kept in a secure, locked cupboard or storage area and they will need to apply every 5 years for a new certificate, giving two good character references.

They also need to produce a statement by their GP to confirm that they are fit to own a gun. A Firearms Enquiry Officer must also inspect the premises where the gun or weapon is kept. Once all these conditions can be satisfied, a licence will be granted.

Practical steps to take after theft

What to do after a theft

If you have been the unfortunate victim of a crime where something has been stolen, it can be quite a distressing, anxious and stressful time. Therefore, it is quite understandable that it could be more difficult than normal to try and remember everything you need to do.

Being the victim of any sort of theft is a very traumatic experience and can be very upsetting for quite a while after the event. Try to stay calm because there are people who can help if this does happen to you.

Car Theft

If your car is stolen, call the police. This is not considered to be an emergency (unless you were attacked or injured as it was being stolen) so you should telephone or go straight to your local police station to report it. Make sure you get a crime reference number from the police. This will be needed by your insurance company.

Call your insurance company. They will open up a claim for you and they will explain to you what will happen next. Make sure you have the vehicle details to hand as well as a list of any items that were in the car when it was stolen.

If you have a lease on the car, then you should notify the company that leased the vehicle to you.

Stolen Wallet, Purse or Handbag

Call your bank immediately and report your cards as being stolen. Make sure you know what telephone number to call, so write it down and keep it in a safe place. Also keep a list of the numbers to call to report any lost credit cards, loyalty cards, library cards etc that were in the wallet or purse.

Report the theft to your local police station by either telephoning or visiting the station. Give as much details as possible of the colour, shape etc of wallet, purse or bag description of thief, where it happened etc.

Burglary

If you find you have been burgled, do not touch anything. Report the incident to the police straight away. If you have insurance, telephone the insurance provider for advice. Make a list of what has been stolen and provide photos of valuable items.

Pet Missing or Stolen

Phone the local vets first because your pet may have been involved in an accident. Ask neighbours if they have seen the animal. Make posters, using a clear, recent photo of your pet and place them in areas which will be seen by as many people as possible. Leaflet neighbours houses as well as homes in nearby streets. Use an online pet search website, they can often reach the whole country. Telephone your pet insurance provider. They might be able to help with offering a reward and providing publicity to assist in getting your pet back.

Mobile Phone Theft

Remember the three steps: Register, Report, Reunite.

Register: you can register the details of your handset with The National Mobile Property Register. This will help the police to return your phone to you if it is stolen. You should also make sure your phone is registered with your network provider, especially Pay As You Go phones.

Report: report it immediately to the police. You should also contact your mobile phone network provider. They can block both the handset and the SIM card so that they cannot be used any more.

Reunite: If the police do recover your stolen handset, it’s a lot easier for them to reunite you with your phone if it is registered. They can match up the serial number to your name and address and get it back to you quickly.

Help your community with Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

If you’re keen to get involved in the local community and assist the police in your area to help keep surroundings a safer place, then joining a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme enables you to keep a positive look out for criminals and crime in the vicinity.

What are they exactly?

Local residents, who consist of volunteers, form local based Neighbourhood Watch groups and they are actively involved in monitoring local areas for crime indicators and any other relevant illegal activities. Members of local watches inform the police and also divulge any information learnt amongst each other. The local volunteering teams always uphold some simple guidelines and rules which are instigated via the organisation on a national basis, and always directly partner with the police in local areas.

The operations of a Neighbourhood Watch group

Those members who freely give their time to helping local communities also enjoy the benefit of meeting and befriending their local neighbours whilst keeping a watchful gaze on the neighbourhood at large. As well as observing traffic in the street area, including where, or how this is parked, teams will also be aware of who is on holiday in the area or perhaps having current property maintenance and improvements. This kind of important information enables watches to successfully highlight any potentially illegal or criminal activity in the surrounding area and when a certain situation looks unusual in a certain way.

Those who proactively keep an eye out, acting as an extension to local police forces can give invaluable help and assistance to the local constabulary.

How do I join a Neighbourhood Watch group and make a difference?

To be a crime reducing part of your community you can join a local group in the immediate area. Establish these details by asking your local police or neighbourhood policing section who will give you necessary information in order to make initial contact with a local group.

Where no group exists, you might decide it is time to create one to help your local area fight crime. In this case the Neighbourhood Watch web site is an invaluable resource, assisting in all aspects of group creation and providing further resources such as logos, toolkits and publicity materials.

For other ways that you can help reduce criminal activity in your community, ask neighbourhood policing teams based in the local area to find out what is occurring in your part of the country. Local police contacts can give details of the next neighbourhood police meeting scheduled and how to get in touch with them with a view to attending.