Monitor

According to CSO figures published for Q2 of 2012, the following were the findings relating to  Burglary and Related Offences

In the twelve-month period ending in June 2012, there were 28,623 recorded Burglary and related offences representing an increase of 2,663 (+10.3%) on the corresponding period ending in June 2011. Comparing the same periods,

Aggravated burglary fell by 19.4% while recorded Burglary (not aggravated)

offences increased by 10.3% to 27,619. 

Group 08 Theft and Related Offences

Theft from person offences increased by 43.1% to 4,284 in the twelve-month period ending in Q2 2012, while 

Other thefts, handling stolen property offences rose slightly (+0.2%) to 42,972.

With this in mind the following simple steps can help you to reduce the risk of burglary from your homes and premises

• Lock up your home, even if you go out only for a short time.
• Change all the locks when you move into a new house.
• Your house should appear occupied at all times. Use timers to switch lights and radios on and off when you’re not at home.
• If you lose your keys, change the locks immediately.
• Don’t leave the keys under the mat or plant pot…it’s the first place anyone will look.
• If the entrances to your home are dark, consider installing lighting with a motion detector.
• Trees and shrubs should be trimmed or lowered to allow a clear view of the house.
• Ask for ID from any salesperson or maintenance person who requests entry to your home.
• Become a member of Neighbourhood Watch and encourage your neighbours to do the same.
• Become a member of Business Watch schemes.
• Use a quality Alarm System - Intruders are far less likely to break into a house with a monitored alarm system that complies with European Standard EN 50131.
• Secondary backup monitoring for your alarm systems by means of radio or GPRS to add security to your alarm systems in the event of a telephone line being cut.
• Have panic buttons and duress codes added to your alarm system.
• Ensure your security systems are regularly serviced and up to date. Maintenance contracts with your security provider are mostly a mandatory requirement of your insurer.
• Have your security provider link your alarm system to your lighting so the lights will come on if the alarm has been activated.
• Check your CCTV system regularly and contact your security provider if you feel unsure about the quality of the footage.