On Monday 16th September, it’s officially one hundred days until Christmas. Too soon? Whilst it might be too soon for Christmas trees and decorations, it’s the perfect time to consider your home security.
The countdown to Christmas is hectic. It usually involves planning gifts, decorating, planning meals and coordinating visits. Aside from this there’s the trips to Santa and the festive parties. There are ways to get ahead of the game. Many will already have started shopping. Somebody is bound to announce they’ve already got everything wrapped by the end of this month. What’s on your to do list?
Once your house is full of expensive gifts, many people suddenly realise their existing home security arrangements aren’t enough to give them peace of mind. This piles on unnecessary extra worry at an already highly stressful time of the year. Every year we hear from people who have had items stolen or can’t sleep for fear of break ins, and there’s a scramble to get security systems installed before 25th December.
After 42 years protecting homes and businesses, we’ve got decades of experiences of securing homes in the autumn and winter months. We’ve put together a Christmas countdown with a home security twist to help you get ahead of the game, a give you peace of mind.
September – 100 Days to Christmas
During September, whilst evenings are still light, you’re best placed to start the process of checking your home security and taking steps to improve it. Check your fences are secure, garden gates have locks, and foliage is trimmed back for the winter. This prevents people easily getting into your garden and hiding.
Tidy away garden toys and tools you’ve made use of over the summer. Ideally these should be stored in a locked garage or shed. For maximum protection, connect your outbuildings to your home alarm system and make sure CCTV covers your outdoor spaces. Studies show visible security measures deter criminals.
October: Clocks Go Back
The clocks go back at the end of this month, bringing dark nights even earlier. Traditionally this contributes to a spike in crime of somewhere around 25% – 33%, depending on which report you read. This month, check your locks and get into the habit of locking the door when you get home. Keep windows locked too. Switch your house alarm on when you go out and at bedtime too. Simple steps like this can prevent sneak in theft by opportunist criminals. Make sure you have anti snap locks & if you’re enlisting someone to do this for you be sure to use a recommended and approved locksmith. Police offer advice on door and window locks.
November: Crime Central!
November is typically the month when most crimes occur. Experts suggest this is down to a combination of the clocks going back, causing darker evenings and mornings. This coupled with the temptation of homes stocked full of gifts leads to a perfect storm of home break ins.
Burglars will choose the easiest option and want to avoid drawing attention to themselves, so take steps to make your home look protected. If your alarm isn’t lit up at night, now’s the time to upgrade. A backlit alarm bell box really highlights your security. This is worth doing when you hear that burglars are three times more likely to target a home without a security system. A monitored alarm will give you peace of mind this festive season, alerting you and your keyholders to an activation. It is very reassuring to know someone will be made aware if an intruder attempts to access your house.
December: It’s Christmas!
In recent years, high winter crime rates have been compounded by the cost of living crisis – and 2024 is unlikely to break from this trend. Make sure you store gifts securely and out of sight of burglars as well as children! Never leave them in the car or in plain view.Some people store them in a shed – but these often lack robust security. Be thoughtful about disposing of packaging; A bin full of empty boxes labelled as high tech and expensive items could prove too tempting for a burglar. Install home CCTV to watch over your property as this deters criminals and provides helpful evidence in case of incidents. You can even get proactive CCTV system.
Opt for professional CCTV installation as a Christmas present to yourself!
Keybury Fire and Security is a family run home security business based in Keighley. We’ve been protecting homes and businesses across the North of England with our CCTV and intruder alarm systems for over forty years. Book your free home security survey today! Use our online scheduling tool or contact us directly on 01535 661197 enquiries@keybury.co.uk