Halloween sees a spike in crime rates; online statistics vary between 17% in the UK, and 60% in the US, where the event is a much bigger celebration and often involves a lot of house parties that will contribute to these numbers. Even a rise of 17% is a worry, and much of this crime… Read more »
Home Sweet Home This October
October is Home Security Month, and time for a quick audit of your home security measures. Your first ports of call are the entry points to your property, and for most of us this means doors and windows. Windows should be lockable and kept closed as a matter of course. Upper floor windows can be… Read more »
Vehicle Crime – Trends And Prevention
We know that vehicle crime in the West Midlands is experiencing a downward trend thanks to a special focus on chop shops and the organised gangs who run them, but the rest of the country is experiencing a rise. In 2023, a car was stolen every 8 minutes in the UK, and there’s a definite… Read more »
A Busy Life Needs A Hard Working Home
At every juncture in history where technological advancements have happened rapidly, society has thought that humans will end up having more leisure time as more things become done by machine. It’s a stance that doesn’t always work out in reality, with many of us busier than ever before trying to keep up with the demands… Read more »
Be Safe And Secure On Holiday
When you’re on holiday, the last thing you want to be worrying about is security. That’s why it is important to have your home and personal security arrangements sorted before you go away. We’ll start with the obvious: ensure all doors and windows are locked, and the keys kept somewhere that’s not visible from the… Read more »
Take A Virtual Tour Of A Burgled Home
West Midlands Police have created an interactive tool for homeowners wanting to learn more about burglary, and what happens during one. If you’ve never been the victim of a burglary it can be hard to imagine what it’s really like, especially when your information comes from TV dramas where everything is ‘bigger and badder’ for… Read more »
Home Security For Renters
More and more people are locked into renting for longer as house prices rise and the amount needed for a deposit gets further out of reach for lots of people. Home ownership isn’t a complete pipe dream, however, as parental shared mortgages and part ownership schemes can provide a help onto the first rung that… Read more »
Think WIDE
WIDE, or WIDEN is the Neighbourhood Watch mnemonic for home security and it stands for: Windows locked Indoor lights on a timer Doors locked or deadlocked Exterior lights on timers or motion detection Neighbours Most homes have uPVC double glazing now which is harder to break into than old-fashioned single glazing. Some may have sash… Read more »
Security For The Back To School Season
Our own school days may be a distant memory, but there are many of us who’ll remember the freedom of being allowed a door key, or of having one we could reach through the letterbox so we could let ourselves in after school. Those precious few hours before a parent came home from work meant… Read more »
October is Home Security Month
Home Security Month is upon us, and there’s a good reason it’s in October. Halloween is a peak night for crime of all types, but especially for property and violent crimes. There are various statistics online claiming rises between 17% and a whopping 60% in crime rates on October 31st, but even the lower rate… Read more »