Christmas Safety Tips

Christmas time is about spending time with loved ones and over indulging on food and presents but it’s also a time where we need to be a bit smarter about our security.

 Sometimes we just don’t think about the implications of a simple action like leaving a tv box outside the house is an advert for criminals. 

Here at Keys4U your security matters to us and we are a 24hr/365day company so we will be there if the unthinkable was to happen, however prevention is better than cure!

 So here, we are going to give you some tips for over the festive period (and beyond) to help prevent and deter would be criminals. 

1. Lighting and/or festive lighting –

Motion sensor security lights are a great deterrent all year round and Christmas is no exception. The only different is you can get a bit more “festive” with the lights and decorate trees and large plants in the front gardens. Try to use battery or solar powered lights as it’s not a great security idea to run cables through a slightly open window. 

2. CCTV – 

Cameras are becoming more and more accessible and affordable these days so it’s a good idea to invest in some. Smart cameras don’t even need a recording device as its all saved in the cloud or on SD cards so now there’s no excuse!  The extra festive light this would help the cameras see better too.

3. Window locks –

Windows are a main point of entry for burglars, so you need to make sure you have done everything you can to prevent this. Make sure you have key operated lock on your windows (this will be required by most insurance policies) and USE THEM. You can also have small window alarms that can be trigged when the window is opened. 

4. Use your alarm –

The amount of times we go to a customer who has an alarm and just doesn’t use it for some reason, is astonishing if you have a problem with your alarm call us to fix it. If you don’t have an alarm get one, the bell box outside your house is a massive deterrent. 

5.The Garden –

If you have a garden you may have a shed, and what’s in the shed?? – that right gardening tools. Tools like a folk or a spade which can be used to prize open back doors or windows. Lock your sheds and install a small door alarm similar to a window alarm, you could even chain up larger tools to a solid wall or floor if you have one using an anchor chain and padlock. Some alarms have a lager range that you could even put a sensor in the shed and it will be part of your house alarm system.

6. A ladder?

Ladders should be chained up as well this is so they can’t use It to get to an open or any window upstairs. 

7. AWAY? –

people love to go away at Christmas and why not! But there are some telltale signs that you are away to the criminals – didn’t put up a tree, letters piling up and car not moving off the driveway – these are all signs that you are not home so what do you do? – some are easy fix, stop any milk or newspaper subscription have a friend or family member come round and move the letters from the door or post box and light timers are always good but have you ever thought to use a time on a radio? – The noise coming from the house is great way to stop someone who has a suspicion that no one is home. Have a drive way with no cars on it? Get a neighbour to park in you drive to look like some is in. Don’t post on social media that you are way for Christmas as this is an advert for the criminals. 

8. Spare key under the mat? –

Some people need to have a spare key laying around but this is such a bad idea people know all the tricks – it not hard for someone to lift up a mat or a plant pot and find a key, you are not covered by insurance if someone gets in using a key. If you HAVE to have a spare key outside get a key safe securely bolted to the wall with a camera pointed at it. 

9.Smart door bell –

new idea to the market and can be very useful for deliveries and unwanted guest. Motion activated camera can help you keep an eye on the front of your property and have a recording of any incident’s. 

10. Rubbish –

“one man's trash is another man's treasure” have you hear this before? Well it’s true your rubbish can be used against you in more ways than one.  Identity thief is on the rise and all it takes is a few bits of information for it to happen – cut up or shed any paperwork with sensitive information on it.  Your Christmas rubbish is also an advert for what new gifts and gadgets you have in the house – cut up boxes put them inside bigger boxes and only put them out to be collected at the last possible time the night before pick-up. Just a normal letter with your name and address can be used to convince a locksmith that the burglar lives in your house. It’s a good job that here at Keys4U  we do at least 5 checks to see if the person actually lives at the address, so we don’t just let anyone into a property.