The weather is getting warmer (allegedly) which can mean only one thing – it’s DIY season! Spring is the most popular time of year for home improvement projects, with 60% of us taking on DIY tasks in some form or another, often spending hundreds of pounds on new tools and materials. Some of us also buy new garden equipment like barbecues and children’s play equipment.
Burglars know this, and there’s typically a 10% increase in outdoor burglaries during March (according to the Crime Prevention Website, 1 in 7 homes a year experience a theft from the garden). Don’t make it easy for them – here are a few things you can do to secure your things.
Lock tools away
It seems like the most obvious piece of advice, but it’s surprising how often tools are either left outside or in a shed that doesn’t lock. If you don’t have a lock on your shed, you can secure it with a padlock fairly cheaply. It’s not foolproof, but remember burglary is an opportunistic crime – the mere presence of a padlock could be enough to make the burglars move on to the next, easier, target.
Don’t leave ladders outside
Okay, ladders are large and they’re a pain to put away if you’re going to be using them again soon. However, they’re also a handy way in for a burglar, so don’t even think about leaving them outside!
Secure children’s play equipment
Okay, you can’t lock away large pieces of play equipment, but just as with tools, any small loose toys can be quickly put away, and if a burglar can’t see anything at a glance that looks worth stealing in your garden, they are more likely to move on. You might consider a large wooden or plastic garden chest or storage box, which can store your things outdoors and also be locked with a padlock.
Bicycles and motorcyles
These come out of the shed much more as the weather gets nicer – make sure they go back in there at the end of the day!
Follow holiday best practice
If you’re going on holiday over Easter, don’t be tempted to post about it all over social media. This is like an open invitation to a burglar. Try to make it appear as if someone is at home – if you can put some of the lights in your house on a timer and have a trusted family member or friend remove your post from behind your front door while you’re away, it won’t be as obvious that you’re not there.
This year National Home Security May Day is on 30th May (spring Bank Holiday is the most popular weekend of the year for home improvements) – watch this space for more information and tips for improving your home security.