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The festive season is prime time in a burglar’s calendar. Keep your home, and presents, safe and secure this winter, and avoid being a victim to opportunists.
- December is the most profitable time of the year for burglars.
- How to protect your home from burglary and what to do if the worst happens
- Clever tricks and smart tech can make it look like someone’s home when you’re not in.
- Top tips for keeping your open fire or wood-burning stoves safe.
The festive season is not only the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also an exceptionally profitable time for burglars.
Your home is a potential treasure trove for thieves with your precious valuables, including the beautifully wrapped gifts you spent hours searching for, as the ultimate prize. It’s important to make sure your home’s protected at this time of year.
Our LV= home insurance team take a look at how to keep safe at home this festive season, with tips on protecting your home from both intruders and fires.
We teamed up with Michael Fraser in this handy 70 second video: tips on how to prevent a break-in
How can I protect my home from a burglary?
- Don’t let Christmas cards catch you out: At Christmas, we’re used to receiving more post than usual as our friends and family send festive cards. But by throwing your envelopes in the recycling bin, burglars could easily access your name and address after a quick rummage.
If they get their hands on these details, it’s all they need to clone your identity. So, tear up or shred your envelopes and packaging before recycling them.
- Out of sight, out of mind: Make sure your presents aren’t in view from a window. A pile of presents lets a burglar know there’s an opportunity to grab some potential goodies – remember to keep any Christmas stockings out of sight too.
Do what you can to keep your gifts hidden. If you have slatted blinds, tilt them upwards rather than downwards to prevent people peering in.
- Protect your presents: Wrap your presents as soon as you’ve bought them to stop people knowing what’s inside. Unwrapped presents are far more likely to be stolen, as burglars can instantly spot the value.
Thieves don’t have time to unwrap gifts to find out what’s inside and, burglars are lazy! So, try to wrap presents individually.You should also avoid gift bags since most burglars leave the scene of the crime on foot. Without gift bags, it’s harder for them to get away with lots of your things at once. After all, burglars can only take what they can carry.
- On the day: It’s easy to get wrapped up in the festivities and leave gifts piled up downstairs by the tree after everyone’s finished unwrapping them, but they’re much safer upstairs. Burglars don’t often go upstairs because they feel trapped - it’s much easier to get in and out when they stay downstairs.
So, make it difficult for a would-be burglar and keep the gifts upstairs.
- Keep your plans close to your chest: Make sure you don’t leave bags and suitcases in view - it’s an obvious sign you’re going away and the house will be empty.
Keep them hidden under a bed or out of view until you set off for your trip. Also, make sure your calendar can’t be read by outsiders looking in. If in view, burglars can find out the exact dates you’re going to be away.
- Signs that will put a burglar off: If you think a sign that says ‘beware of the dog’ will ward off burglars, you could be mistaken. Instead, it signals there’s an animal in the property, moving around, meaning there’s an opportunity to enter without triggering any sensor alarms or devices.
Joining the local neighbourhood watch can be far more off-putting to burglars, because who knows who’s watching..?
Make sure your presents aren’t in view from a window.
How do I protect my home if I’m away for the holidays?
Now, you don't need to go full Kevin McAllister (if you haven’t seen Home Alone and don’t get this reference…it’s worth a watch!), but there are a number of non-slap-stick steps you can take to protect your home from both intruders and fires.
Here are some tips from the LV= team to help deter thieves and turn your home into a fortress…
- Secure your home
Security is key, so if you’ve got a garage or a shed in the garden, make sure it’s securely locked so burglars can’t lay their hands on tools, ladders or other items that could help them break into your home. A sturdy padlock is an effective deterrent, as are motion detector lights and CCTV cameras. Make sure you check your locks before you head off… yes, all of them! Doors, windows, cars and sheds.
Looking for extra protection? You could invest in anti-snap locks, which can’t easily be broken by burglars trying to get into your home. - Use alarms, smart devices and technology
Fans of the latest tech will know there are a number of cutting-edge home security gadgets available to homeowners these days. They include things like motion-activated security cameras, smart ‘peep holes’ which link directly to your phone or tablet, as well as smart security lighting, which activates when your doorbell rings.
There are many ways to make your home look more ‘lived-in’ while you’re away. Many smart home devices let you control certain things in your home at the touch of a button, like lights and stereo systems, no matter where you happen to be. - Cancel deliveries
If you have regular doorstep deliveries, remember to cancel them before you go away. A stack of untouched milk bottles and newspapers is a good indication to a burglar that a house has been left empty for some time. -
Make it look busyIf you’re going to be away from home for a while, set up light timers to come on at times you'd usually be in. You can do the same for radios and TVs, so it looks like someone’s home. You can also ask friends, family or neighbours to check on your house every now and then, as visitors will help add to the pretence that someone’s in.
You may also want to leave the heating on low or drain your water system to avoid freezing pipes and condensation. -
Insure your Christmas presents with LV=If your home contents insurance is with LV=, your level of cover over the festive period increases by 10% to protect all the extra stuff you've got at home – like Christmas presents, gadgets and decorations. LV= will even cover theft from outbuildings, but please think twice before storing gifts anywhere other than locked safely in your home!
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Decorate your home safely- If you're buying a real Christmas tree, make sure you pick one that's fresh and place it straight into a water-holding tree stand – and don't forget to top up the water every day.
- If you’re opting for an artificial tree, make sure it's fire retardant, and keep all trees away from heaters and radiators.
- Always check your tree lights for any damage; the bulbs should be low LED lights that conform to BS EN 60598 standards. Connect lights safely to the mains and avoid long trailing leads.
- When you're deciding where you'd like the decorations to go, make sure you're not covering any burglar motion detectors or fire alarms. -
Make sure your fire is safeWe all know there’s nothing quite like sitting round the fire to get you in the festive spirit. But, as inviting as the toasty flames might be, it’s important to keep in mind some safety precautions, especially for open fires or wood-burning stoves.
Keeping your fire safe
Fuel
The wood you use for your fire needs to be seasoned (dried) before you burn it. Wood with moisture in it releases smoke and harmful particles when burned, which can damage your chimney and cause harm if inhaled.
- You can buy moisture meters to check the level of water in your wood, or better yet, buy ‘Ready to Burn’ fuel. Wood with a ‘Ready to Burn’ logo on it will be pre-dried and ready to go.
- Make sure you never burn treated waste wood, for example old pieces of furniture, as these will emit toxins and pollutants when burned.
- If you’re intending to use house coal for your fire, think about using Ready to Burn authorised smokeless fuels instead.
- Don’t overload your fireplace or stove with wood or build fires too high – you can always add more wood later if needed.
Maintenance
Wood-burning stoves can be a great option as they produce much less smoke than an open fire.
- If you have a stove, it needs to be serviced every year. If you haven’t had it serviced but plan to use it over the festive period, make sure you book a service in.
- Don’t forget your chimney! You should aim to have your chimney swept at least twice a year, so remember to get this done.
Health and safety
It's obvious to say live flame fires in the house can be dangerous. Most of these tips are common sense, but should the worst happen this winter, you’ll want the comfort of knowing you did all you could to stay safe:
- When lighting your fire, avoid using liquids like petrol or paraffin. Always use firelighters or kindling. You shouldn’t ever put paper or rubbish on your fire either, as this could create floating embers that can blow away and cause a house fire.
- If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector, make sure you get one. They’re easy to install and will alert you to dangerous fumes.
- It’s also good practice to install a fireguard around your fire, especially if you have young children or pets around.
- Never leave your fire unattended. Make sure the fire’s out before going to bed or leaving the room, and always wait for ashes to become cold before disposing of them.
Don't forget...
LV= will increase your contents insurance by 10% for one month before and after a religious festival or special event - for purchases made for these occasions within the period of insurance.
That way, if a burglar does get the better of you or if your fire-building skills aren't as good as you thought, at least you can rely on us to help put things right… and you can concentrate on finishing off the mince pies.
What should I do if I’ve been burgled?
If the worst were to happen, you should follow these three steps...
- Call the police straight away and give them as much information as you can. Make a note of the crime reference number you're given - you'll need this later. Sometimes the police will only provide you with a crime reference number by post, once you've reported a loss.
- Try not to disturb anything in your home, as this may destroy valuable evidence. The police will advise you about this when you call. When the police arrive, they will often dust round the point of entry or exit for fingerprints, so try not to touch these areas.
- Write down a list of what’s been stolen and call us as soon as you can if you need to claim on your home insurance. We can give you useful information to help you deal with this unpleasant crime.
The best way to protect your home and valuables is by having an adequate and up-to-date home insurance policy that covers your property and its contents. If you’re insured with LV=, your contents cover increases by 10% for the month leading up to, and the month that follows Christmas… result!
And remember, if you’re planning to take a long trip this festive season, some insurance policies may only cover your home being left empty for up to 30 days at a time (or sometimes 60). So, before you make plans, check with your insurance provider that you’re still covered if a break-in occurs while you’re away.
Now, go and enjoy the holidays, gift giving and good food; and let your only concerns be where the tree should go or which festive film to watch first! How about Home Alone?