As Impact News reports burglaries in Lenton becoming more common-place, Impact Features is here to share some simple but effective tips on how to keep your home safe from burglars.
Always lock your doors and your windows:
This seems like an obvious one, but if you’re living with 6 other people, it can be hard to keep track of who’s home. It’s therefore best to close your windows every time you leave the house, just to be sure. Make sure everyone is locking their bedroom doors if you all go out, because if the worst happens and a burglar does get inside your house, they are more likely to take everything they can from the rooms that are unlocked, rather than waste time trying to force the other doors open.
Ask your landlord about an alarm system:
If you don’t currently have a house alarm or feel that your locks are not secure, it is definitely worth consulting your landlord. If the house is not secure it will certainly be of interest to them, as they do own the property. If your landlord is not willing to pay out for one then it could be worth getting a ‘dummy burglar box’ installed on the front of your house. I have noticed recently that a lot of houses in the area do not have these boxes on the front, which makes it blatantly obvious to burglars that there is no alarm installed.
Get to know your local police officers:
Everyone’s had that intimidating letter through the post about ‘loud noise in Lenton’ so it’s understandable that approaching the police at this point can feel daunting. However, if you are worried about burglaries on your road or feel that your house isn’t secure, let an officer know. They will take down your details and could make sure that their community support officers include your road on their night patrols. This may not sound like much but seeing a police car driving around can be enough to scare most burglars off!
Pretend you’re home:
This has to be one of the oldest tricks in the book, and I’m sure many of you have done it before. When leaving your house, leave a light on that is visible from the road, whether it’s a bedroom light, on the landing or in the hallway, it can make burglars think twice about breaking in, as it’s possible that there is someone home to catch them in the act.
A friend at Birmingham university shared with me about an incident a few years ago where taxi companies would tip off other people about which houses were empty, so they could break in while all the occupants were out. Even though this has never been reported to have happened in Nottingham, it could also be worth shouting “See you later!” as you leave your house, as an extra deterrent. You never know who might be driving your Uber!
If you have concerns about burglaries in Lenton, don’t hesitate to call the Lenton and Dunkirk Police department on: 101 with the extension 310 3043. For more advice on protecting your homes against burglaries be sure to also check out the University of Nottingham’s Students Union page.
Holly Jenson
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