Christmas is less than a week away and it’s important to remain vigilant as ever when it comes to protecting our families and homes. The festive season is renowned for being a generous time of the year for many families and friends, which causes homes with expensive gifts to be targeted by burglars.

A sharp spike in the number of home break-ins occur around the festive season. Keep your home secure this Christmas time with our expert advise to restore some peace of mind, so you can relax and enjoy Christmas celebrations as usual.

6 steps to keep your Christmas secure

1. Lock everything

This may sound painfully obvious, however, to prevent a burglary ensuring that all your common entry points are locked must be the first step on your checklist. Make sure that front doors, side gates and garage doors are all locked and can withstand someone attempting to break its lock. Britain’s police force have warned that in most burglaries, the thief will simply try to enter through the front door – so try and find a robust front door for your home with an anti-snapping lock.

2. Keep your keys in a safe place

We advise keeping your keys out of an intruders reach and sight. This means if you regularly keep your keys in a key bowl by the door or hanging up, they should most likely be moved to a safe distance. This should prevent the burglar from seeing an easy opportunity as it has been recorded that 47% of burglaries are committed on the spur of the moment.

3. Avoid trailing cables outside the house for Christmas lights

Theres nothing wrong with getting in the Christmas spirit and decorating the exterior of your home with Christmas lights is the perfect way to do this. However, if you are thinking of decorating, we advise using battery or solar powered lights. Many households make the mistake of feeding a power cord through a gap in a window, leaving your home vulnerable to burglars who target this kind of lighting set up, as an open window is easy access.

4. Be mindful of where you place your gifts

Placing presents under the tree is a tradition no one should have to forfeit. However, if you’re looking to place presents under the tree on display prior to Christmas day, we advise you locate your tree somewhere in your home that can be hidden by blinds when you’re not in. This can help deter opportunistic burglars.

5. Don't let your home appear vacant

If you’re spending Christmas abroad or at friend/relatives this year its important you do everything you can to ensure a burglar can’t suspect this. An empty home gives burglars more time to complete a robbery and get away with it. Speak to neighbours and ask them to keep an eye out, as well as collecting post/ deliveries for you, and keep your lights on a timer to give the impression that your home.

6. Invest in a video doorbell

Many burglars will use a simple method to check if someone is present before breaking in: knocking on the door. A video doorbell will let you know who's outside your home, whether they're a friend or foe, and give you the chance to talk to them as if you're inside, even if you’re not.  There are many affordable options on the market now, and it’s thought that an estimated 67% of all burglaries could be prevented by cct as thieves aren’t privy to the idea that they could be caught red handed on camera. Check out Which.co.uk’s best video doorbells here.

Dont let anyone or anything jeopardise your Christmas this year by following our advice and precautions. For more useful articles, check out our blog here.

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