When the clocks go back at the end of October, it’s suddenly dark by the time most people get home from work. Every year, police forces across the country use that weekend to remind households to lock up and light up, because those dark early evenings give burglars something they love: an empty house that looks empty.
Why the dark evenings are different
In summer, a home that’s empty at 6pm looks much like one that isn’t. In winter, a house sitting in darkness at 5pm, with no lights on and no car on the drive, tells anyone walking past that nobody’s in. Darkness also hides someone trying a back door or climbing a side gate.
Most burglaries aren’t sophisticated. Police advice regularly points out that in around one in four burglaries, the offender doesn’t need to force anything at all, because a door or window has been left open or unlocked.
Seven things to do before winter
- Make the house look lived-in.Put a couple of lamps on timers or smart plugs so lights come on at dusk, not just when you get home.
- Light the approaches.Fit security lights to the front, side and back. Dusk-to-dawn or motion-activated lights on the side passage and back garden take away the cover burglars rely on.
- Lock everything, every time.Even if you’re only nipping to the shop or out in the garden. Lift the handle and turn the key on uPVC doors.
- Hide your keys, including the car keys.Keep them away from the front door and out of sight. Never leave a spare under the mat or a plant pot: that’s the first place a thief looks.
- Lock the side gate and shed.A side gate that’s easy to open gives private access to the back of the house. Tools left in an unlocked shed give a burglar the means to get in.
- Check your cameras can see in the dark.A camera that’s sharp at noon can be useless at night. Infrared range is shorter than daylight range, so walk the property after dark and check the picture on your phone.
- Make sure alerts reach you.A smart alarm or camera alert that tells you the moment something happens is worth more than footage you look at the next morning.
See your home after dark
Our coverage planner has a night mode that shows how much shorter camera range is under infrared, and an intruder test that walks someone round a typical home to show where they’d go unseen. It’s a quick way to spot the side passage or back garden that your current setup doesn’t reach.
We’re taking bookings now for free site surveys before the darkest months. Book a survey and Raaj will walk your property with you.