A burglary can leave you devastated, your home vandalised, your most precious and priceless items stolen and to top it all off leaving you with a rather large hole in your pocket, with repair costs, replacing stolen items etc. One thing that cannot be so easily replaced is the feeling of safety and security within your own home.
That’s why we have written a comprehensive and highly detailed guide to help you keep your home safe and secure. Not only will this blog help you secure your home but will hopefully leave you with a little piece of mind.





Burglars tend to be criminals of opportunity and simplicity. Most criminals do not seek a challenge or confrontation they commonly target homes which can be easily accessed without the threat of being caught. Researchers have found 3 factors the typical burglar uses to determine whether or not to burglarise a property. These are noise, visibility and time.
Burglars don’t want to hang about, they want to be in and out of a property as quickly as possible as the longer it takes the more likely they are to be detected. In other words, the harder you make it for a burglar to gain entry the better. However unfortunately many people make it too easy for a criminal to break in. As we pointed out earlier approximately 21% of burglars gain entry by walking through an unlocked door. A cheap lock may be easy to pick but it takes much more time then simply walking through the front door or climbing through a window. The simplest and easiest way to reduce the chance of a burglary is to lock all the points of entry to your property, this includes all accessible doors and windows.
Other than the time factor visibility always plays an important part. Poorly visible and poorly lit homes gives criminals comfort as these provide a cloak and are thus less likely to be detected.
Noise is also an important factor. Burglars are less likely to target a property where it could potentially get noisy, for example, a dog and alarm systems will bring much unwanted attention due to the loud noise created and also the potential of getting bit. As a result burglars are less likely to target such properties.
The three factors we have discussed are hugely important when it comes to keeping your home secure. So in order to help you improve your own security these again are the elements you need to examine. You can do this by the following.
The first step to improve your home’s security is try to think like a burglar and examine your homes security vulnerabilities. You have to imagine you’re a burglar and you’re trying to break into your own home. Keep in mind the three factors we discussed earlier: time, noise and sound, examine your property during the day and night and ask yourself the following questions.
Remember you need to think like a burglar. Throughout this article we will give you ideas and suggestions on how you can improve the security of your home. 
Between 60 and 70% of burglars gain access to your property using your front door. Unbelievably around 20% of the time the door is unlocked and the burglar literally just walks through the door. In this section we will discuss the different types of doors commonly seen on the average British home, in addition to there security weaknesses.
We will follow this up by discussing the techniques criminals use to bypass your doors security and what you can do to protect your home.
Firstly we will examine the typical types of doors seen on the average home. These can be split into a number of categories. These are as follows



Unplasticised Poly Vinyl Chloride or more commonly known as UPVC is a relatively new material used heavily in Europe and America and has become very popular for a number of reasons.
Wooden doors used to be seen up and down the UK on every door but with the invention of cheaper UPVC and more durable Composite doors, the day of the wooden door has come to an end. Wooden doors tend to be more expensive, less durable, and have a lower life expectancy compared to UPVC or Composite doors. Wooden doors are typically fitted with a latch and a deadlock.
Composite doors are made using a number of materials which are glued together and then combined under high pressure. Composite doors are very similar to UPVC in almost every way but tend to be more durable and come in a number of designs. Composite doors tend to be more extensive than UPVC. Security wise Composite and UPVC are very similar and like UPVC, composite doors come with a multi point locking system as standard.
Now we have examined the types of doors typically fitted to the average home we can examine the types of locks fitted to these doors and how criminals bypass them.
In the UK we typically have three types of doors: Wooden, UPVC and Composite. The three doors typically use three types of locks.
Commonly Used on – UPVC Doors & Composite Doors
Vulnerable to – Lock Snapping, Lock Picking, Lock Bumping, Hooking, Fishing, Door Popping
Commonly Used on – Wooden Doors
Vulnerable to – Lock Picking, Lock Bumping, Brute Force, Sliding
Commonly Used on – Wooden Doors
Vulnerable to – Lock Picking, Lock Bumping, Brute Force, Sliding



We have examined the types of doors typically seen on the average home as well as the lock systems typically fitted to each door. Now we will examine the tactics used by criminals to gain access to your home and what you can do to stop them.

Criminals use a variety of tactics to bypass your doors’ security. These are just some of the measures criminals use to gain access to your home.
Double Locking – This is by far the easiest and cheapest way to dramatically increase the security of your door. Double locking means simply locking your door with your key and not relying on the latch.
On UPVC and Composite doors this involves inserting your key into the Euro Cylinder, lifting the handle and locking the lock initiating the bolts and hooks. By double locking you dramatically enhance the doors force resistance, and making it impossible to use a hook to open the door from within while also making it impossible to pop open the door.
On a wooden door to double lock you can do two things, the first is to lock the latch by either pressing the button or pushing the little switch usually placed on the side of the latch. The second way to double lock your wooden door is to lock your mortice lock with your key. By locking the mortise lock you greatly reduce the chance of success of lock picking, bumping and strengthening the door against a brute force attack.
Upgrading your Locks – High quality locks are one of the best ways to increase the security on any door. High quality and high security locks such as ABS locks by Avocet, Banham Locks, or Ultion locks by Bristant will do wonders for your doors security. High security locks meet BS 3621 in addition to having the best security rating which is 3 stars, this level of security is recommended by both Insurance companies and the Police.
High Quality locks are designed to counter any attempt to bypass them.
They do this by

Simple Door Additions – Small simple additions to your door such as a letterbox cage, door chains, peep hole can make a big difference to your security. The vast majority of burglars are opportunists and it’s not uncommon for a burglar to actually knock on the person’s door before committing a crime. Letter box cages act to prevent burglars from tampering with your locks through the letterbox using hooks.Door chains allow you to talk to people without actually opening the door exposing yourself and your home.
London & Birmingham bars – For Wooden Doors – Wooden doors in particular are vulnerable to forceful attacks, one way to enhance the force resistance of your door is to install a London and Birmingham bar to your door frame.
As we discussed earlier around 29% of burglars gain access to a property using a window, this makes securing your windows a necessity when beating the burglar. We have put together a list of practical steps you can take in order to beat the burglar.
Security Bars & Grilles – This is an expensive option but a very effective one too. Security grilles and bars are a great way to make your windows almost impossible for an intruder to enter unless they are equipped with some heavy duty grinders to cut through, however, this is extremely unlikely to happen. We often think of security bars and grilles as ugly but their are now a wide range of designs available for all manner of tastes helping ensure security while at the same time keeping it stylish.
Window restrictors / sash stops – On them hot summer days and you want to keep your windows open especially on sticky nights we recommend utilizing window restrictors, on sash windows use sash stops. These are designed to allow your windows to open enough to allow fresh air to enter but not enough for someone to climb through. Window restrictors are designed to be tough and withstand a force of up to 450kg.


Burglars are not just interested in your home. Your shed and any outbuildings you have are also vulnerable. Think about all the valuable items located in your shed or outbuildings. Maybe you have an expensive mountain bike, power tools, gardening tools, it probably adds to a small fortune. The vast majority of sheds and outbuildings have very little security. In this section we will give you some common sense advice on how you can easily increase the security of your shed and outbuildings and how you can reduce the likelihood of a burglary occurring.
Your garden may be a soft and highly valuable target for criminals. It is often easier for criminals to gain access to your garden compared to your home, shed or outbuildings. Gardens can also contain valuable items which can quickly and easily be sold.
Taking steps to secure your garden and your valuables within it will reduce the risk of a burglary and even possibly reduce your insurance premiums.
Good Garden Security involves the following 4 elements.
Fencing – Generally there are 2 rules when it comes to fence security. Firstly if the front of your property comes out to a main road it’s generally better to have a lower fence, we recommend 4 feet (1.2 meters). The reason for this is increased visibility. By having a low fence at the front of your property it allows passersby and your neighbours to see the front of your property deterring criminals as they are in plain sight. The second rule is to have a high fence at the rear of your property, we recommend as high as possible which is usually 6.5 feet (2m), anything higher than this will require planning permission from your local council.To enhance your security even further you can plant prickly and spiky plants such as ralia, Chaenomeles, Colletia, Crataegus (including hawthorn/may), Hippophae (sea buckthorn), Maclura, Mahonia, Oplopanax, Osmanthus, Poncirus, Rhamnus, Rosa (climbing & shrub roses), Rubus (bramble), Smilax Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum), there are plenty to choose from so get down to your local garden centre and look at all the different varieties to best suit your taste.


Locks – If the garden has a gate, we highly recommend you install a lock. The type of lock depends on how you use your gate. If you use your gate seldomly and don’t use it to leave your property, a high security padlock attached to a bolt will suffice which would be lockable from within your garden. If you use your gate to access and egress from your property then a long throw gate lock would be the most secure option. These locks are designed to attach to the gate; they contain a bolt system and a lock allowing you to lock the gate from both within your garden and externally.
Lighting – Lighting is very important and is always a good idea especially near accessible windows and doors to illuminate any suspicious activity and lets be honest, anyone who is near your doors and windows in the dead of night is most likely to be up to no good. Lighting will not only illuminate suspicious activity to yourself but also to your neighbours and will leave the criminal with nowhere to hide. We highly recommend purchasing and installing motion sensor lighting, which will turn on when something or somebody moves within a close radius. This will illuminate anybody trying to gain entry to your home at the same time will not disturb your neighbours with a constant bright light. To save energy try to purchase a light system with an LED bulb that will not only save energy but also money on your energy bills.
Storage & Tidiness – Many thieves are simple opportunists so don’t tempt thieves into your garden by leaving your valuable possessions laying around for any tom dick and harry to see and steal. Bikes, gardening tools, power tools, children toys are all on the criminals Christmas list which is why any valuable items should be stored safely within your home, garage or secured shed. Larger items such as barbecues should be covered up and secured with a heavy duty chain to something which is also heavy. Ensure any tools which can be used to gain access to your home such as ladders are either locked away or secured with a chain, a heavy padlock to a fence or something heavy. Garden furniture should be positioned away from the home as these can be used to gain entry.



You may implement every security measure humanly possible but this is no guarantee a determined burglar won’t find a way through. So we will help you minimize any damage or theft caused by a determined burglar.


Double Lock – ITCC have mentioned this subject numerous times as it is such an easy way to dramatically increase the security of your home. On UPVC and Composite doors, double locking your euro cylinder will activate the bolts and hooks keeping the door firmly in place. Double locking these doors will prevent popping and hooking attempts, while also dramatically strengthening the door against any brute force attack. On wooden doors ensure you lock your deadlock, this will make sliding the door impossible and greatly reduce the risks of successful lock picking and bumping attempts and will also strengthen the door against a brute force attack.
Upgrade Your Locks – Let’s face it some locks are cheap and cheerful and can be picked in minutes or bumped or snapped in seconds. Some locks are very flimsy and consequentially making you more vulnerable to a break in. We always recommend our customers have locks which meet British Standard 3621, these locks also have the highest security rating of 3 stars and are recommended by both Insurance companies and Police. High quality locks from the outset have been designed to counter any attempt to bypass them.
Lock Your Windows – Around 30% of burglars break into your home using your windows. Ensure you have locks fitted to all of your windows especially those on the ground floor. While these are not foolproof they can deter a burglary.
Know The Neighbours – One of the best security measures you can take is to know your neighbors and ask them to keep an eye on your house and vice versa, like a mini neighbourhood watch. One of the primary reasons burglars are caught is due to neighbours reporting unusual or suspicious activity.
Install Home Security Systems – Research has continually shown homes without security systems such as an alarm are roughly 2 – 3 times more likely to be broken into. Alarms deter burglars by bringing audible attention to their crimes. There are a few different varieties of home alarm systems, the premium alarm will alert the police when activated. These alarms will also be wireless and may also include security cameras as well. If this is a little out of your price range you can purchase alarm systems from your local DIY store and install them yourself. For your sheds, garages and outbuildings a standalone alarm system is also a great and cheap alternative.
Keep the Outside of Your House Well Lit – Baddies don’t really like to be seen and they especially don’t like to be seen when they are breaking into a property. You can deny them darkness by installing motion sensor lighting to the front and back doors, as well as any ground floor windows if possible. Having a bright light suddenly illuminate the bad guy may scare them off and if it doesn’t scare them off it will show them to your neighbours.
Get a Dog – Having man’s best friend to watch your back is always a good idea, while you shouldn’t get a dog just for this purpose it is an added bonus. Having a dog in your house will deter a burglar or criminals from trying to access your home. It may not be the fear of being attacked (which may be the main factor if you have a big dog such a Pitbull or Rottweiler) but the possibility of being caught due to the barking of the dog.
Careful With What You Show – Many thieves are purely opportunistic and breaking into homes may not be their usual day job. Which means they may be walking past your house one day and see something they like and they simply break in and take it. Ensure they cannot see the contents of your home by ensuring your windows are covered by blinds and curtains.
Avoid Unsolicited Help – A common scam criminals use is known as “impostor burglary” So a pair of scammers may turn up to your property offering a type of service such as painting, tree trimming or gardening etc etc. One may even lure you outside to discuss the trees for example, while the other one enters your home to steal something. The bottom line is if you didn’t call someone don’t let them in. And if you do call someone, always do your research.
Watch What You Throw Away – One way criminals identify who to target is to look out for big cardboard boxes for appliances or expensive electrical goods. If you do make a new purchase of expensive goods it’s a good idea to cut up the cardboard packaging and either bag it up till rubbish collection day or take it straight down to your local recycling center.
Keep Your Home In Tip Top Shape – Homes are much more likely to be broken into if they look unoccupied, so the lesson here is to ensure your home looks occupied. You can do this by keeping up to date on your property maintenance. Keep your grass cut and ensure you keep any shrubs or trees trimmed to eliminate any hiding space for a burglar.
We hope this guide provides you with all the necessary information needed to increase the security of your home and bring a little more peace of mind. Please like and share this post in order to spread the knowledge and together lets beat the burglar. ITCC Locksmiths offer a comprehensive range of both Residential and Commercial Locksmiths service if you ever need help increasing your security.
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