ps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward ‘ Thief who carried out 420 burglaries is spared prison’ – yes 420 burglaries ! Can this be right, you’re probably asking yourself ? I’m staggered to report that this is a quote from an article that appeared in The Mail on Sunday 2/9/06!!!! The article was about a 28 year old thief, who had stolen an estimated ?400,000 during a two year burglary spree to feed his chronic drug addiction

I’m prompted to write this article because home security is a particular passion of mine, as during the course of my 22 year Police career I’ve dealt with literally thousands of burglaries. I know only too well the devastating effect they can have on the average householder and how long it can take to recover financially and emotionally from them. This is a shame because I can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of burglaries that, with a little thought, couldn’t have been prevented.

You see, whilst investigating burglaries I’ve spoken to many burglars and know what motivates or de- motivates them in deciding on a particular house to break in to. This information has proved useful in advising victims on the relatively simple and inexpensive measures they can take to prevent themselves from being targeted in the future. This is particularly important when you consider that a burgled house is four times* more likely to be attacked again (usually within the following 18 months), than would be a similar house that has never been targeted before.

In many cases my advice has been taken up by the occupiers– very often to their benefit. Unfortunately, there has not been a similar take-up of my advice by victims’ neighbours, who I would usually visit during the course of my investigations. I say unfortunate, because burglars have on many occasions returned to attack other vulnerable houses they may have noted during their previous visit.

In this and the following couple of articles I’d like to share my expertise in burglary prevention with you. Before I write about the best methods of putting off the burglar though, I’d like to provide you with a couple of incentives that should help spur you into making your home as secure as possible (if the opening paragraph isn’t enough for you) :

Firstly; Burglary isn’t inevitable This is because Burglars aren’t invincible !! They are only human and will do the least amount necessary in order to steal property from you. Knowing this and a few other things about burglars will help you see that with a little effort you can defeat them.

You probably didn’t realise that………………..

• The average burglar is a relatively unsophisticated youth.
• Often described as an opportunist, he will persistently look for an unoccupied, easy target.
• He looks for signs that a house is unoccupied; milk on the door step, letters or freebie papers in the letter box.
• He rarely caries tools with him (he’d have to explain his reasons for having them to a Policeman if stopped and searched ) and relies on finding objects or tools on site to help him break in- or the householder to make the ’break-in’ a pushover for him.
• Burglars are usually nervous and want to complete a burglary as quickly as possible –usually within 5 minutes.
• They’ve probably got a drug habit to feed, are operating on foot within a relatively short distance from home and are therefore limited in the amount they can carry – so small, valuable items such as credit cards, jewellery and cash are really what they’re after.
• Burglars are creatures of habit and will re-visit houses after a reasonable period, when they would expect insurance replacements to have been made.

Knowing what you now know about the typical burglar (what motivates them and how they operate) will perhaps be the mental lever you need to get you thinking about the easy steps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward t and know what motivates or de- motivates them in deciding on a particular house to break in to. This information has proved useful in advising victims on the relatively simple and inexpensive measures they can take to prevent themselves from being targeted in the future. This is particularly important when you consider that a burgled house is four times* more likely to be attacked again (usually within the following 18 months), than would be a similar house that has never been targeted before.

In many cases my advice has been taken up by the occupiers– very often to their benefit. Unfortunately, there has not been a similar take-up of my advice by victims’ neighbours, who I would usually visit during the course of my investigations. I say unfortunate, because burglars have on many occasions returned to attack other vulnerable houses they may have noted during their previous visit.

In this and the following couple of articles I’d like to share my expertise in burglary prevention with you. Before I write about the best methods of putting off the burglar though, I’d like to provide you with a couple of incentives that should help spur you into making your home as secure as possible (if the opening paragraph isn’t enough for you) :

Firstly; Burglary isn’t inevitable This is because Burglars aren’t invincible !! They are only human and will do the least amount necessary in order to steal property from you. Knowing this and a few other things about burglars will help you see that with a little effort you can defeat them.

You probably didn’t realise that………………..

• The average burglar is a relatively unsophisticated youth.
• Often described as an opportunist, he will persistently look for an unoccupied, easy target.
• He looks for signs that a house is unoccupied; milk on the door step, letters or freebie papers in the letter box.
• He rarely caries tools with him (he’d have to explain his reasons for having them to a Policeman if stopped and searched ) and relies on finding objects or tools on site to help him break in- or the householder to make the ’break-in’ a pushover for him.
• Burglars are usually nervous and want to complete a burglary as quickly as possible –usually within 5 minutes.
• They’ve probably got a drug habit to feed, are operating on foot within a relatively short distance from home and are therefore limited in the amount they can carry – so small, valuable items such as credit cards, jewellery and cash are really what they’re after.
• Burglars are creatures of habit and will re-visit houses after a reasonable period, when they would expect insurance replacements to have been made.

Knowing what you now know about the typical burglar (what motivates them and how they operate) will perhaps be the mental lever you need to get you thinking about the easy steps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward e my expertise in burglary prevention with you. Before I write about the best methods of putting off the burglar though, I’d like to provide you with a couple of incentives that should help spur you into making your home as secure as possible (if the opening paragraph isn’t enough for you) :

Firstly; Burglary isn’t inevitable This is because Burglars aren’t invincible !! They are only human and will do the least amount necessary in order to steal property from you. Knowing this and a few other things about burglars will help you see that with a little effort you can defeat them.

You probably didn’t realise that………………..

• The average burglar is a relatively unsophisticated youth.
• Often described as an opportunist, he will persistently look for an unoccupied, easy target.
• He looks for signs that a house is unoccupied; milk on the door step, letters or freebie papers in the letter box.
• He rarely caries tools with him (he’d have to explain his reasons for having them to a Policeman if stopped and searched ) and relies on finding objects or tools on site to help him break in- or the householder to make the ’break-in’ a pushover for him.
• Burglars are usually nervous and want to complete a burglary as quickly as possible –usually within 5 minutes.
• They’ve probably got a drug habit to feed, are operating on foot within a relatively short distance from home and are therefore limited in the amount they can carry – so small, valuable items such as credit cards, jewellery and cash are really what they’re after.
• Burglars are creatures of habit and will re-visit houses after a reasonable period, when they would expect insurance replacements to have been made.

Knowing what you now know about the typical burglar (what motivates them and how they operate) will perhaps be the mental lever you need to get you thinking about the easy steps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward s with him (he’d have to explain his reasons for having them to a Policeman if stopped and searched ) and relies on finding objects or tools on site to help him break in- or the householder to make the ’break-in’ a pushover for him.

Burglars are usually nervous and want to complete a burglary as quickly as possible –usually within 5 minutes.

They’ve probably got a drug habit to feed, are operating on foot within a relatively short distance from home and are therefore limited in the amount they can carry – so small, valuable items such as credit cards, jewellery and cash are really what they’re after.

Burglars are creatures of habit and will re-visit houses after a reasonable period, when they would expect insurance replacements to have been made.

Knowing what you now know about the typical burglar (what motivates them and how they operate) will perhaps be the mental lever you need to get you thinking about the easy steps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward ps you can take to defend your home. If that doesn’t work, then read on. My second incentive for you to do something about your home’s security is avoiding the damaging effects that a successful burglary can have on you and your family :

• Insurance and other financial implications.
• Identity theft and subsequent fraud.
• Loss of irreplaceable items e.g. family heirlooms.
• Repairing costly damage.
• Getting over the fact that someone has entered your home uninvited and ‘dirtied’ it – in my experience women feel this most.
• The feeling of vulnerability and the not unnatural desire to move to a safer place. *
• Burglary can be a home wrecker and has been cited as a cause for relationships breaking up in 10% of burglary victims. *

Hopefully, without alarming you, I have motivated you into finding out about the practical ways you can prevent your home from being burgled. If so, I look forward to telling you more in the following articles. * Rather than provide my anecdotal information alone, the sections indicated are endorsed by findings of the Victim Support Scheme charity, who researched burglary cases in South Yorks., Notts. and Sussex. The results were reported on in the National Press in mid- April 2006.