A whopping 267,000 burglaries were reported in 2021 in the UK – that’s one break-in every 106 seconds! With that in mind, the issue of home security is a vitally important one. It begs the question: how do burglars decide which homes to burgle? Are there certain things that draw thieves to one house over another?

In this article, we’ll look at some of the main things burglars look out for when identifying a target and how to go about rectifying these pull factors to reduce your chance of a break-in.

Easy access

A thief won’t be able to rob your home unless they can gain entry. Therefore, one of the first things they will try to look for is an easy access point. A burglar may pick up on front doors and windows that are left unlocked regularly. Entering through the front door is inconspicuous so they will be looking for front doors that appear weak or have poor locks.

In the summer months, windows will be left open more often, enticing burglars to break in if they can see valuables within easy access. It can sometimes be easy to forget to shut all windows when going out and a burglar will seize an opportunity to hop in if they see the homeowner leaving.

You should get in the habit of making sure all windows and doors are fully locked when leaving and upgrade any substandard locks. Make sure your front door looks and feels robust and has at least two different types of lock.

Whether or not you’re on holiday

Burgling a home when the owners are away is much more appealing to any thief. There are some tell tail signs that can indicate to a burglar whether you have been away for a while.

• Full letterboxes or a pile of mail on the front mat
• Overgrown garden
• Curtains drawn all the time
• Lights turned off in the evening or lights that are clearly on a timer

Serious burglars might scope out your home multiple times to see if there has been any activity. They might to see if the lights are still off or if they magically switch on at the same time every day.

If you’re going away, it is worth tidying up your garden before you leave. You could give a spare key to a trusted neighbour or friend so they can collect any mail that accumulates and check that the house is still secure. You can ask them to open and close curtains to create the illusion people are still at home. If a burglar sees someone going into the house regularly, this may be enough to deter them. If you have timers for your lights, set different lights to come on at different times instead of all at once.

Valuable items on display

High value items such as laptops, TVs and car keys left in plain sight will tempt thieves to rob your home.Knowing you have expensive goods will make the burglary worthwhile, but if they can’t see any signs that you have possessions worth stealing, they will be unsure if it is worth the risk.

If you live in an area prone to break-ins, think about where you position your TV. Is it visible from outside the window? Make sure other valuable possessions are kept away from windows; if you’re not using them, put them away in draws or a safe.

Dark, covered areas around the property

A burglar looking to break in during the night will look for a shadowy place to gain entry, out of sight from other neighbours.Installing motion sensor lights around the exterior of your home will hopefully scare of any potential thieves.

Burglars will scope out your home for these areas and any potential weak spots. You should be weary if you notice any unfamiliar vehicles parked outside your home for long periods, the same stranger regularly looking at your home, markings on your home or bins.

‘Beware of the dog’ stickers

While these stickers may at first seem like a deterrent to burglars, they are rather old-fashioned way of protecting your home. Letting potential thieves know that you have a pet wandering around makes it highly unlikely that you will have a burglar alarm set.

Similarly, any visible signs that you own a cat will also indicate that you won’t be setting any alarms come night-time and that you may have a cat flap round the back which will aid entry.

This article was written by an online estate agent House Sales Direct. If you wish to sell your house fast and for free, then head over to the House Sales Direct website for more property related information and enquiries.