last updated 29 July 04
By Tony Lock

In a recent survey, 28% of respondents said they had experienced a burglary at some time or other. But, according to the British Security Industry Association, there is need to panic. Instead, be aware of the risks of burglary, what increases the risk and what can be done to minimise it.

For instance, houses are most vulnerable at the rear. Burglars can be quite athletic and good at climbing fences. If a 2m high fence is topped with 30-45cms of even weak trellising, the burglar will have great difficulty climbing over without risking being seen. The risk of injury is very likely to put them off.

Using plants as a fence topping is another option, for example a climbing rose. Wooden gates can be easy for thieves to climb – covering cross members with a panel can make life more difficult for criminals. Ornamental iron gates are more tricky to climb and intruders can be seen through them. It’s a good idea to have two locks on a gate - a padlock and padlock bar plus a barrel bolt at the bottom.

Good lighting
Good lighting can be a significant deterrent. It can be fitted over front and back doors so that a burglar cannot use cover of darkness to break in. It can also give added security to members of the household when walking up the drive because it limits scope for someone to hide.

The most common form of lighting is passive infra-red activated when someone comes into its field of vision. It is important to ensure that any lighting covers the right area – otherwise it could inconvenience neighbours or passing vehicles. An alternative is to fit low pressure sodium lights operated by a photo-electric cell. This turns lights on at dusk and off at dawn.

Good physical security eg windows, locks, doors is the most basic form of protection for any home and, in many ways, it's the first line of defence.

External doors should be solidly constructed - at least 44 mm thick with strong hinges. Most newly built properties are fitted with a simple rim lock, also known as a 'night latch'. But for satisfactory security levels a five-lever mortice deadlock should be installed.

If the door is hollow, or too thin for a mortice lock, a quality rim deadlock should be installed using long, strong screws. The deadlock is important because it means that the door is more difficult to force open. Also once the door has been locked with the key, the burglar won't be able to put his hand through the letterbox or through an adjacent glazed panel and open the door from the outside.

Similarly, if he is in the house, he also won't be able to open the door, which means he cannot get out of the house with bulky items. Deadlocks are also important in relation to doors with glazed panels which are inherently less secure than solid doors. Internal rack bolts at the top and bottom of the door provide additional security.

Fire safety issues
It is also important to consider fire safety issues when looking at security precautions. You may feel that you don’t wish to use the mortice lock when you are in, as this will make it more difficult to get out of the house in the event of a fire. If this is the case, bolts at the top and bottom of the door are particularly useful.

CCTV is a relatively new addition to home security that can be used to see what is happening in and around your home. For example, you could use it to see who is at your front door or what is happening in your garden. It can also provide visual evidence if there has been an intruder on your property.

Finally, security marking is an effective and inexpensive means of further protecting your household property. It puts thieves and those who buy stolen goods at greater risk of detection, and therefore has a high deterrent value.

There are several different methods. The owner's postcode or a unique reference number retained on a master database can be used. Alternatively a ‘DNA’ style forensic marking product can be brushed onto property.

All methods enable stolen goods to be traced via a data base to their owner. This is important for two reasons; the rightful owner can regain possession of their property and the Police can secure a conviction.