It’s important that you and your family feel safe at home – it’s your place of sanctuary, which should be full of love and happiness. Burglary can be devastating for any family, and its effects go much further than the possessions stolen. Victims can struggle emotionally, especially children –  research has shown  that children who have suffered a break in at home struggle to sleep and their schoolwork can be affected.

But with 300,000 children each year affected by burglary in England and Wales, there is a real threat. Homeowners should take extra precautions to prevent thieves from targeting their property. Here are some top tips.

Lock all windows and doors

It may sound obvious, but some people often forget to lock the back door after hanging out the washing, or go out and leave windows open. This is like an open invitation to professional burglars. When locking doors from the inside, make sure you remove the key and put it in a safe place.

It’s also advisable to make sure your current windows and doors are robust and not easily breached.  Double glazed glass  is harder to break than single pane, so if you have old timber windows this could look attractive to criminals.

Install a visible intruder alarm

If you don’t already have a security alarm, then you should install one and make sure it is visible from the outside of the house. This prevents burglars from targeting your home, as they are more likely to get caught.

Move everything away from the letterbox

Criminals are clever and have adapted to new ways of burglary, without even breaking into your home. If you have your car keys or wallet on a table near the front door, burglars can thread something into the letterbox, feed them through and steal your car or your identity documents.

Install CCTV

If you really want to deter criminals, a CCTV camera should do the trick. Make sure it covers the perimeter around your property. Most modern systems will allow you to connect the live feed to mobile devices, or send an alert message if an intruder is detected.

Your home is your most valuable asset – don’t leave it vulnerable to thieves and burglars. Make your house less of a target and always be vigilant.