Suffolk Constabulary reveal 15 do’s and don'ts of keeping a home safe

Thieves are targeting insecure windows and doors in homes this summer.

That is the warning from Suffolk Constabulary, who today (Friday, June 28) have released their 15 tips to keep a home safe as the weather warms up.

Read more: Woman in her 80s remains in hospital after collision in Bury St Edmunds town centre

Detective superintendent Marina Ericson said: "It will come as no surprise that the summer months are always popular for thieves and with warmer weather on the way, it is likely many of us will spend more time outdoors. Therefore, it’s important that we all continue to take security seriously and lock up – even if you’re in another area of the house or in the garden.”

The 15 tips are as follows:

1. Keep your front doors locked even when you are at home and especially if you are in the back garden.
2. Close all windows fully before you leave the house, lock downstairs windows and remove the keys.
3. Use window limiters to allow air in instead of keeping windows fully open, even when you’re at home.
4. Install window locks on upstairs windows that can be easily accessed by a flat roof.
5. Lock back gates using a sturdy lock such as a closed shackle padlock.
6. Make your home look lived in – use timer switches if you’re not home.
7. ‘Dusk-to-dawn’ sensor security lighting is a cheap, low cost way of making sure the front of your home or shed/outbuilding is well-lit.
8. Visible burglar alarms can make burglars think twice; get specialist advice and consult your insurance company.
9. Consider installing a Ring doorbell camera in order to potentially film an opportunist burglar in action.
10. Hedging and shrubs to the front of your property should be pruned to no higher than 1m and trim trees up from the ground to 2m. This will allow a clear line of sight across your property and will stop the garden being used as a hiding place.
11. Keep your valuables, jewellery, cash, passport and deeds to your property in a safe.
12. Never leave spare keys in an open place. Be aware, burglars know all the usual hiding places so never leave a spare key under the doormat or under a garden gnome.

13. Keep dustbins and wheelie-bins away from fencing/gates as these can be used by thieves to climb into windows or used to escape.

14.Make sure valuables are property marked. Take photographs and keep a note of any serial numbers.

15. Don’t leave equipment and tools lying around that can be used by burglars to break into your home, such as hammers, shovels or gardening tools. Keep ladders locked away and out of sight.