Safer Street

Inspector Wilkinson is in charge of a Safer Neighbourhood Team in Norwich. He has 18 years service, he has been a uniform police officer and a community beat officer, and has spent 10 years in CID.

It may sound crazy but nearly one in ten (7%) ** homes has a key concealed outside their front door. Burglars know this so don't leave them the means to let themselves in.

One in ten (10%) ** people leave keys in doors and windows most of the time. These are easily fished out using a crude hook and line device, through a cat flap or letter box, allowing thieves to walk right into your home and help themselves.

There's no point having the securest locks, doors and windows if you don't use them. Opportunistic burglars will make the most of that 'one time' you leave your back door unlocked.

With nearly one in ten (9%) ** sheds left unlocked or unsecured throughout the UK, outbuildings are also vulnerable to crime. Get a sturdy padlock, and put frosted film over shed windows to stop thieves window-shopping for bikes, golf clubs and tools.

Don't leave tell tale clues that you might not be home, like a build up of milk bottles, parcels or post. Cancel deliveries and ask a neighbour to do a quick check of your home every couple of days.

Long dark nights in the winter prevent natural surveillance. Install timers to switch lights or radios on and off automatically if you're not home. If you're going out, draw the curtains and leave some lights on.

Faulty fence work, loose gates, rubbish in the front garden, all give the impression that your home could be an easy target. A well cared for property and garden provides another psychological barrier to the burglar, so trim hedges, repair woodwork and brickwork and keep it tidy. And remember to put away anything that can be used to gain entry including tools, ladders and DIY debris.

If the worst happens and your belongings are stolen, it can help their recovery if you've marked them with a personal identifier. Permanent U.V. marker pens are a cheap an effective way of marking property such as laptops and televisions.

• Households with no home security measures are around ten times more likely to have been victims of burglary than households where there were simple security measures such as deadlocks on doors or window locks. (25.0% compared with 2.3%) *
• More that one in ten (13%) Brits wish they knew more about home
  security. **
• Nearly one in ten (9%) sheds are left unlocked or unsecured throughout the UK. **