Worried about burglaries

[Passthepigs]

There have been 4 burglaries in our village in the past 6 weeks. It’s usually a fairly quiet and crime free place and they have been in day time hours with cars spotted scaling the area days before.

It’s been keeping me awake and really unnerved me. I don’t really have anything of value, a few pieces of jewellery and handbags but they could ultimately be replaced, it’s more the fear of someone breaking in while I am home with my DC.

Any idea how to calm my nerves, the latest one was today so it’s shook me up again and now I can’t sleep.

Get a cctv sign and dummy cameras from Amazon.

We’ve got a basic cctv system set up already.

Do you have a house alarm to set when you sleep/ go out? I recently got one and I sleep so much better! X

The thing about burglars is that they don;t want to get caught. They target homes without evidence of someone in.

Leave a light on downstairs at night, even the TV on low. Ensure that there's a car in the drive if possible. MIL borrowed one from a friend to keep parked in her drive after she was burgled.

If you have bushes right in front of your windows, consider removing them. Burglars love them because they can be hidden from the neighbours whilst they gain entry.

We have an alarm with ADT that notifies us if it goes off, if we don’t respond they contact the police. CCTV isn’t always that useful IME; people near where I live have been broken into and the pictures are really crappy and most perpetrators cover their faces.

Our house is built sideways on to the road and so access is easily done without being noticed at all. Nothing we can do to change that.

I will look into a burglar alarm as we don’t have one at the minute.

Don't leave a light on all night as that looks like a security light for when you are away. A timed one is better.
How many people have a light on at 4am downstairs?