Keeping Family Home Safe in Winter

Since being a Mum, there are a few things that I worry about more than I used to, my health, my job, my income and my safety. Effectively, they all boil down to the same thing- keeping me and my family safe.

In the last few weeks we have experienced some anti social behaviour in our neighbourhood – mainly kids messing around but some vehicle thefts as well – largely due to opportunist thieves that pounce when people de-ice their cars with the engine running. Although our area doesn’t have a major crime problem, it’s been enough to spook me and make me feel a little uncomfortable, particularly when I am home alone during the darker months of the year. We are now making use of Smart Home System Technology to make our home more secure.

Using the crime statistics website, you can look up by postcode to see what the most common problems in your area. For us, these appear to be Burglary, Vehicle Crime and Anti Social Behaviour. The police also share some tips and advice on ways to keep your family home safe.

Here are some of the main ones that I have been using.

Security lighting – Lighting has been proven to be a real deterrent for burglary – A wannabe thief is not going to want to be seen, and therefore having a well lit entrance makes it harder for their presence to go unnoticed. When my parents were burgled, their entry attempt was made in the middle of the night, hiding in dark alley ways and gardens where they wouldn’t be viewed by passers by. My partner is an electrician which is very handy, so we have made sure the front door and all key entry points of your home are well lit. Yes it can be frustrating when our extra sensitive lighting gets turned on by a neighbourhood cat, or even the steam from the boiler, but I would much rather that than a darkened pathway or drive.

Smart Home Technology – something my other half is really passionate about – these Panasonic smart home systems link directly to your mobile phone and will send you an alert if someone comes within a certain parameter of your home. This is great if you are out for the day or on holiday, as you can alert the police to an intruder at the very early stages without putting you or your family at risk. They also include door and window sensors, and a traditional audible alarm should someone gain access to your home.

Timers –  Many people think that leaving internal lights on will create the illusion of a family being at home – but actually leaving them on constantly can have the opposite effect. In normal family life, people go in and out of rooms, turning lights on and off as they enter and leave. In my opinion, leaving a light on constantly makes it far more obvious that no one is home. Instead, you can set up internal lighting on a timer, creating the illusion of people coming in and out of rooms. I’m yet to set up a Home Alone style mannequin show, but its a starting point at least.

Neighbour Hood Watch – it might seem like an outdated concept, but a neighbourhood watch or at least a nosey neighbour is always a welcome positive. We are incredibly lucky to have an elderly neighbour who is without a doubt the nosiest man in the world 🙂 – but it’s great! He always knows what’s going on, knew that Neve was ill from the fact we left the house at 3am and will pop our newspapers through the door if its been left sticking out the letter box when we are out!

Nosey neighbours will become familiar with what is ‘normal’ behaviour for your household, and raise an alarm if something doesn’t sit right. Having someone you can trust with a spare key to move post from your porch when you’re out or away is also a great way of removing obvious signs you are out.

A dog – The one thing we don’t have yet, but that my partner has been hinting at for months is a dog. When my parents were burgled I asked the police officer what he thought was the best deterrent, and this was his answer. You may have a Chihuahua that sounds like a Rottweiler, but when wannabe thieves cannot see the scale of the pet, a loud bark can be enough to make rethink their target.

What do you do to keep your family home safe in Winter?

*This is a collaborative post*