Police around the country have already started warning British citizens of the known ‘Springtime Burglars’. Undeniably, the forthcoming spring entails that the big bright sun beckons home owners to get their hammock, barbeque tools, lawnmower, water hose and spade, or picnic basket in the garden.  Of course, there is absolutely no harm in being carefree when the weather is enjoyable…as long as you are not careless about the safety of your property.

With the warmer weather, the opportunity to be outdoors is definitely not renounced by home owners. Meanwhile though, intruders equally get an inverse opportunity to be indoors. Of course, houses are already vulnerable to burglary attacks; however, its vulnerability is doubled during that period of the year, which leads to greater number of burglaries. Certainly, leaving your house unlocked for the slightest moment could be dangerous as you are inviting robbers in. Similar to how it takes only seconds to lock your doors, those criminals also need that much time to access your house It is worth noting that your insurance company will not pay out if you have been negligent. Indeed, burglary can prove to be both financially and emotionally costly.

Rather than taking chances, you can follow some basic precautionary steps to avoid sneak-in spring burglary:

• Keep opportunistic thieves at bay by locking your doors and windows even if you are temporarily out. In around 25% of burglaries that take place in the spring and summer months, entry is gained through these insecure entry points. By adding the necessary equipment such as security grilles, shutters or gates, you can effortlessly deter burglars.
• Keep your locks, door knobs, fence, gates and other potential access points well maintained so that they will not be easily rendered useless by robbers.
• Keep your valuables stored away safely instead of leaving them around in plain sight to attract burglars. This is especially for mobile phones and laptops which are constantly used and thus are put here and there around the house even though they have both high money and sentimental value.
• Keep your gardening tools and outdoor objects such as ladders away as well, as burglars can use them to break into your house.
• Keep landscaping to your advantage by planting thorny bushes, and making sure intruders have nowhere to hide.
• Keep an eye out for suspicious people in the vicinity and ask your neighbour to do so, too, whenever you are out.
• Keep your burglar alarm active and get a door chimes or simply a dog to warn you of intruders.
• Keep any outbuilding or shed well protected, too, before a burglar gets the chance to spring clean it.

No matter how complacent the weather might make you, ensure that you do not end up these upcoming spring and summer months with something worse than sunburn, by being cautious of burglars.