Those living in detached properties...

[WitchyWay]

Hey, I'd love some advice/experience please.

Disclaimer: I've always had a huge fear of being burgled. No idea why as it's never happened thus far, but it's a big fear of mine especially now I have children. I'm also ashamed to say I'm still scared of the dark!

Disclaimer: we don't have loads of cash, this house needs work, hence it's affordable.

Anyway, we have always lived in terrace or semi properties and I grew up in the same but we are close to offering on a detached property that has it's own drive. The way the long driveway is means the house isn't viewable from the road. The entry way is also quite uniquely placed in that the doorway isn't viewable from the front of the property either. I suspect it would be a burgled dream! The neighbours aren't close enough to be a concern to any potential intruder.

If you have a similar property, do you worry about this? What measures have you put in place to prevent it?

We'll definitely put security cameras and motion lights on the front and back. I'm wondering if we should get a security system or if that's a waste of money? We're not really dog people but even wondering if that would be a good idea?!

I've heard that most break-ins are usually to steal the cars these days which would be fine, our cars aren't fancy and this wouldn't worry me as much as someone coming and ransacking the house or approaching us in the night.

I love my current semi and have always felt safe. I'm now wondering, despite it offering the much needed space we need, if moving to a detached that's not part of a cul-de-sac etc is a good idea...

Really made me laugh too...I have a Goldie and burgers are fair game. Burglars would get licked to death!

I had a detached but the area was not known for burglaries. Plus I have two dogs (they'd not do anything other than bark, then welcome them in)! Plus I had an irregular schedule so was in and out at different times.
I have been burgled. But it was a terraced flat ground floor with a big hedge! It was day time and the police said they probably saw me leave and it was opportunistic. Flat was only empty for just over an hour!

This freaked me out a bit when we moved to ours, whilst the house is overlooked from the front (no sweeping driveway!) we are next to some open land that isn't lit so would be relatively easy for someone to access from the side unseen. We got Ring cameras put up outside that covers every access point to the house, not necessarily going to stop anyone, but does give me peace of mind that if the cameras aren't triggered no one is in the house but us which helps me sleep, especially if there is a noise in the night, I just quickly check the cameras! Think it's just something you relax about eventually too.

They do but former burglars do advise people that dogs put them off. So if you're prepared to actually take care of the dog it isn't a bad idea.

definite yes for a security system, cameras etc.

Dogs. Loud ones. Burglars don't like them.

Gravel paths. Lots of gravel, especially around the house itself under all the windows. They can't creep about in silence if they are making scrunching noises with every step.

Also numerous spiky bushes in strategic places, pyracantha, roses, berberis, hawthorn, holly etc.

We were victims of an attempted burglary just after Christmas. Due to the nature of it, the police were quite heavily involved and they gave me the following information:

• Opportunists will generally try door handles / windows and won’t use excessive force to get in. If you are in but are watching tv in the lounge, they might try to chance grabbing a handbag through the open kitchen door (for example) but will generally run for it if they actually encounter you.
• Burglars who want to target your house will do it, regardless of your security systems. This type of burglary is either because they know you have something valuable in the house or because they want your car. If they are specifically coming to take your car, they may break in and if they can’t find your keys, come upstairs and get them from you personally. I have two children and do not want this to happen at all and so we agreed to keep the keys downstairs to keep them safe. This type of burglary is also very rare.

In my instance, they didn’t even look at the car! I love my car and so even though the police officer advised it wasn’t on the most stolen list, I was still irrationally offended!

This might just be area specific though about the keys and so I would still definitely agree with the faraday pouch, the security cameras with footage and everything else. I feel much safer with the ring alarms knowing they will notify me if the sensor goes off and also that I can sound a siren if needed.

Apparently noise and light are the best deterrents - so get a gravel drive and lots of motion sensor lights. A doorbell that says something when people approach...
Have your internal lights on timers. We also have motion sensor lights in our house - which would come on if someone entered the house (but are also handy for a nighttime wee).

I have lots of police officers in my social circle. Their #1 advice to prevent a burglar is a 'beware of the dog sign' proudly displayed. Even if you don't have a dog. They cost a couple of quid from handy stores and you can do it the day you move in. Obviously not a guarantee and if you feel particularly at risk of course the cameras and security systems will be of huge benefit, but just wanted to share a tidbit of advice from my friends.

I long for a detached house with drive and personally would go for it if I were you!

Don’t get a dog!

When I was burgled it was in the middle of the night in a flat, I weirdly feel safer in a detached that doesn’t overlook because I’ve been able to put more security in place, and don’t have to worry about cctv overlooking someone else’s door. I have a house alarm, cctv, eufy cam and motion lights. I leave my purse by the door as I just want any opportunist who did get in to just take it and fuck off unlike what happened to me in the past when they came fully inside the flat.

Never had security systems or alarms.
Never had a Ring doorbell.
Never had CCTV.
Never had motion sensors.
Never had a dog.
Never been burgled.
Never even thought about it.

Big, loud, barky dog.
CCTV (not ring, too unreliable).
Tall, lockable gates.
Motion activated lighting.

Relatively low crime area, though rural crime is an issue for farmers (theft of farming equipment etc). Never been burgled.

I live in a detached house with a long drive but visible from the road and our first year in we were burgled.

The burglar knocked my door and then went around back and broke in through the back. He used an umbrella to hide himself from the CCTV and it was middle of the day, all done in 15/20 minutes and he managed to get around £15,000 worth of stuff.

I can't do much about or drive, it's shared so it is what is it.

We put high fence up around our property which means they can't just walk around back.

We got a ring doorbell.

We changed our locks to more secure locks.

We put extra cameras up and so have our new neighbours so most of our property is covered.

We had the bedroom blinds closed (bungalow) and I think that gave him so cover once he got in. I had just been lazy that day and was running late and forgot.

And having a messy home is mortifying if you have numerous police all over it.

We since changed some of the layout of our home too so I see the door/force better as I'm deaf so it helped me feel safe.

Ring doorbell has been worth it and the fence.

I think we were targeted as people knew the previous people had died and either thought it was empty or just knew it was new people.

We live in a detached property down a long drive that isn't visible from any road (also no neighbours) and yes, all the doors are on the back side of the property (not that you can see them from any road anyway).

Honestly, I've truly never thought about it. We don't really get house breakins around here. Tools and farming equipment stolen, yes. But houses, no, not really. We are not house lockers. I don't ever lock the house when I'm in in (not at night). We don't lock our cars. We might lock the doors if going out for the day, but not to run to the shop or the school run. Over 10 years and never had a sniff of anything being stolen, or any trouble from anyone.

We do have a security light and a ring door bell mostly because dh is a nosy sod who likes to see who is coming down the drive so he knows if anything has been delivered and because we do have a lot of agricultural equipment on the property (which obviously you can't lock up inside a building really). But I don't think it would be a deterrent, because you can't really see it from the drive anyway. The most exciting thing we've caught so far was a herd of the neighbour's sheep invading our garden!

Considering how much effort it takes to look after a dog getting a dog as a security system is stupid. Plus the dog may decide not to turn up for its job as a security guard, and the same dog that is likely to make mincemeat of any burglar is probably also likely to eat your family.

Get good strong doors and locks and a professional CCTV/burglar alarm fitted.

There are many companies that will advise you far better than on here what you can best do to secure your house, and the police will also provide home security advice for free in many areas as well.

Please don't get a dog if you're not dog people. I have never met anyone who has been burgled in their house, it's really rare - and I've only lived in big UK cities. Mostly it will be opportunistic if windows or doors open, and if you have expensive cars or things on display. Get a Ring doorbell and sensor lights.

Firstly, I don’t think it matters what kind of house you live in. Burglars target houses for all sorts of reasons.

I’ve lived in detached houses my whole life, never had a buglary.
then moved into 2 semi detached houses - both houses attached to us had been burgled. The house we were in had an attempted break in.

genuinely think it’s more about the cars at the moment.

do not get a dog for security. That’s not what they’re for. A dog is to be loved and part of a family IMO.

a good security system will be great if it’s a monitored one.

unfortunately it’s the world we now live in.. we’re moving into a detached soon, cul-de-sac. The fear doesn’t leave you. But our cars are pretty below average and that probably helps.

I would carry on and buy the house. Once you go detached, you never go back, as the saying goes. The benefits far out weight the risks in my opinion. You just have to take all the usual precautions that you would normally take to reduce the chances of a burglar being successful.

People think we are OTT, but me and DH are very strict about keeping our doors locked, even when we are at home (we have keys strategically placed so we could always get out in a fire but you wouldn't see it through a letter box or window). A lot of burglary's are opportunistic, unless they have specifically targeted you because you very obviously have a desirable high value item. People often don't break in, they simple walk in through an unlocked door or window. My friend was at home one day (terraced house) and caught a guy jumping through all the back gardens checking for an unlocked door. Scared the life out of her, and luckily her door was locked.

We have had lots of issues of burglaries recently and the police said that what burglars hate most is light and dogs.

So get decent security lights, have an alarm you can put on and advertise that, and get a dog.

I think the real issue here is your anxiety. Have you had any treatment for it?

We have security lights, ring doorbell and a dog. The dog isn't a deterrent though, loves anyone and everyone so she's not earning her keep as a guard! Personally I love the privacy.

Have you never watched that "Beat the Burglar" show? There are clips on YouTube, it's almost 20 years old though now so a bit outdated.

You don't get many classic residential burglaries these days. It's not worth it. What would a burglar be breaking in to steal, it's not like there's a good market for second hand electrical goods, and people buying TVs from the back of a van down the pub! And most people don't keep large amount of cash in their home.

As previous posters have said, targeted car thefts are where it's at, and opportunistic seeing something valuable through a window and grabbing it. Unless you're a famous footballer known to have ££££ bling jewellery in the house. If you don't have something worth targeting then just basic security conscious measures should be all you need.

We have several lights on smart plugs where you can program them to come on and off at whatever times suit you. We can also turn them on/off when away from home wherever there is wifi. I have been burgled once in a terraced flat and once in a detached house. Both times they were clearly looking for cash and small portable valuables laptops/jewellery. I don’t have any expensive jewellery and the laptop was backed up in the cloud. So neither time was a big deal. Try not to worry about it.