Community Safety Partnership

Protect your Home - Advice from Strathclyde Police

People are not defenceless when it comes to crime. By taking simple preventative measures you can ensure that the likelihood of encountering crime in the home is reduced.

Burglars prefer to gain easy access to homes, the harder you make it for them, the lower your chances are of becoming a victim. In addition, if you do become a victim, there are measures that you can take to increase the chance that your goods will be returned to you if the police later recover them.

Security mark your property with a UV marker pen. You can use this pen to place an invisible imprint of your postcode and house number on your possessions.

Placing a sticker on a conspicuous window that states that your possessions have been security marked will also help to deter thieves. Ask for one of these stickers at your local police office.

Most house break-ins are committed by opportunist thieves who do not have to break-in due to a door or window having been left open, so keeping your home securely locked at all times is the best deterrent to thieves.
Speak to your crime prevention officer at your local police office about the safety devices (locks, timers, lighting etc) and procedures (closing curtains after dark, cancelling regular deliveries when you are on holiday etc) that you can put in place to increase the security of your property.

If you live in a housing block and it does not have a telephone entry system, talk to your landlord or council about installing one - this may be easier to organise if you get together with other residents.

If you live in shared accommodation, avoid putting your name or room number on your key ring - if lost or stolen the thief will have information that could direct them to your home and your property.

If other people could be in possession of keys that fit the locks in your home - change the locks.

Do not give keys to tradesmen as they can make copies quickly and easily.

If you see signs of a break-in at your home - like a smashed window or an open door - don't go in. The burglar may still be inside. Instead, go to a neighbour and call the police.