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Tips for keeping your belongings secure

 
Protecting your home from burglars and keeping your vehicle safe are two of the prime concerns to residents across the borough.

Most burglars are opportunists and in around 20 per cent of all break-ins, they don’t even have to use force - they get in through an open door or window.

Precautions 

Everyone can reduce the risk by investing in some simple and often inexpensive precautions. Here are some tips on ways to keep your family, your home and your possessions secure:

• Fit strong locks to external doors and windows, and make sure they are locked.

• Remove the keys and keep them out of sight and in a safe place.

• Fit five-lever mortise deadlocks (British Standard BS3621) to all external doors.

• If you are replacing or fitting new doors and windows, get ones that are certified to British Standard BS7950 (windows) and PAS 24-1 (doors).

• Make sure the doors and frames are strong and in good condition. The doors should be at least 44mm thick.

• Consider using laminated glass (for windows) as this is much harder to break.

• Consider fitting a letterbox cage or other restrictor to prevent thieves from reaching through to open the door.

• Fit a door chain or bar and door viewer (spy-hole) and use them every time someone calls.

• Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place such as under the doormat, or in a flowerpot - thieves know to look there first.

• uPVC doors must be double locked with a key and secured properly.

Go to the Metropolitan Police website for further information on home security.

15 September 2008

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