The longest night of 2023 is fast approaching, with Friday 22nd December marking the official start of winter. To maximise property security during the dark evenings, the experts at ADT have shared 5 of their best tips to help deter thieves.
Michele Bennett, General Manager at ADT UK&I comments, “Opportunistic thieves use darkness to their advantage, so it’s no surprise that the number of burglaries committed increases when the darker nights draw in. Our 2022 burglary report found that burglaries are most common at night, with 58% of burglaries occurring between 6 pm - 6 am.”
5 ways to secure property
Get a monitored alarm installed
A visible alarm system is a strong deterrent to potential burglars, as criminals are less likely to target a home that is protected.
In the event of a break-in, a monitored alarm will alert the user, their keyholders, and depending on the package taken out, the police, ensuring a swift response to an alarm activation.
Light up the dark
Install motion-activated lights around any entry points, particularly porches and gardens
Well-lit exteriors make homes less appealing to potential intruders. Install motion-activated lights around any entry points, particularly porches and gardens, which alert to movement on the property.
This will also prevent burglars from operating under the cloak of darkness and increase the chance of a passerby spotting suspicious activity.
Trim garden landscape
Thieves look for escape routes and hiding spots when deciding which homes to break into, making gardens with high, overgrown hedges more likely to be targeted.
This is especially true in the darker evenings, so be sure to give the garden a thorough tidy-up to make the property less likely to be targeted. It’s also advisable to ensure any tools are locked away in sheds and garages that could assist a burglar such as ladders, or a garden spade to force entry.
Be smart with lights
Using smart plugs allows users to turn on a few well-appointed lights and radios or televisions from any location from their phone.
Used in conjunction with an outdoor camera or video doorbell, they can have lamps plugged into smart plugs that come on when motion is detected. Programming lights to come on at different times throughout the night will help to deter burglars by making the property look occupied.
Purchase a smart doorbell or outdoor camera
Smart doorbells are an effective way to deter burglars as they provide evidence in the event of a break-in
Smart doorbells are an effective way to deter burglars as they provide evidence in the event of a break-in, package theft, or other suspicious activity around the home. They also notify when someone is at the door reducing the chance of being caught out by a late evening or early morning robbery.
Smart doorbells also act as a deterrent to unscrupulous door-to-door sellers and con artists, as video footage is recorded. In the event of a late-night door knock, users can see and speak to whoever is at the front door, without having to open the door.
ADT’s new outdoor camera also has two-way audio and a high-pitch deterrent siren so users can warn off anyone from their property to deter any further encroachment.