How secure is your home?
New online assessment, backed by home security expert Michael Fraser, helps homeowners protect their property against intrusion
According to official crime figures (1) there were 422,870 burglaries carried out in the UK last year.
The financial implications of being burgled are clear but perhaps, less obviously, burglary can have a profound effect on victims who often describe it as ‘robbery’ or an ‘invasion’ of their home – expressions that relate to the deep personal impact that burglary can have on someone who experiences it.
This week sees the start of National Home Security Month, a national campaign to raise awareness around the importance of home security to keep homes, families and their belongings protected.
In support of the campaign, property security specialist SafeSite Security Solutions has launched an online home security assessment comprising a series of questions highlighting common home security vulnerabilities. At the end of the assessment a ‘security rating’ is calculated and further security advice is provided to help participants safeguard their property and reduce the chance of being burgled.
The tool has been backed by Michael Fraser, who is best known for co presenting the BBC’s “To Catch a Thief” and “Beat the Burglar” and as the principal mentor in C4’s “Going Straight”. As a youngster in care, he came within a whisker of receiving a custodial sentence for committing burglary.
Commenting on the launch of the online home security assessment Fraser said: “This is a very useful tool as it highlights the risks we all face of becoming a victim of crime. Unwittingly you may be giving burglars a green light to enter your home. By implementing some very simple security measures, we can help avoid break-ins. Nobody should feel unsafe in their home and we all have a part to play in crime prevention. I always advise homeowners to stand outside the back and the front of their house and pretend they are locked out. I tell them to look at the house and identify the weaknesses which would help them get back into the house. If they can identify any vulnerabilities, then rest assured a burglar will spot them immediately. For example, an open bathroom window, or the shed with an open padlock, that is likely to contain tools to assist them in breaking in. Most homeowners know their property weaknesses already but simply don’t bother to fix them. By keeping our properties safe and secure we can all ensure we’re not a target for burglars.”
Take the online home security assessment today: https://www.safesitesecuritysolutions.co.uk/quiz
(1) Source: Office of National Statistics, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019.
Original Source PRFire.com