Making your home secure

Being burgled is distressing, even if nothing valuable is stolen. Most burglaries however, are opportunistic crimes. You can make life harder for burglars by following these steps:

• always secure windows and lock your doors when you go out. Mortise locks discourage burglars so it is a good idea to have them fitted to your front door
  
• have a chain fitted to your front door, particularly if you live alone (although not in sheltered housing)
  
• do not encourage the attention of thieves by having curtains drawn in the daytime, leaving notes for callers, or leaving your key under a mat or on a string inside the letter box
  
• do not leave the key in the lock or within sight of the door
  
• when you go on holiday, cancel newspaper and milk deliveries. It is a good idea to give your holiday address to a trusted neighbour or the police
  
• never leave cash and valuables around
  
• lock up before you go to bed. Make sure that the windows are secure, especially those on the ground floor or those near drainpipes or flat roofs.