There's an old adage that goes “a man’s home is his castle”. Your home may not literally be a castle, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve to be protected.

With the spread of the coronavirus since 2020 there has been a decrease in home invasions and burglaries. However, even with this decrease there are still 267,000 burglaries in the England and Wales; that’s one burglary for every 217 people. These statistics might be intimidating, but there's no need to panic! There are many simple and efficient actions you can take protect your home and your peace of mind. One such action is to install a burglar alarm.

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Whether you’re away on holiday, out for the night, or even just at the office, arriving home to find your home has been invaded can be truly devastating.

It’s not just the material loss that takes its toll on victims of burglary. The psychological and emotional effects of such a personal intrusion can stay with you for a long time.

Homeowners and burglars are in a constant arms race, perpetually trying to outwit one another. Here at IDS Security Systems, we have years of experience helping homeowners to stay ahead of the threat of burglary—so here are some expert tips to give you the edge over any would-be intruders.

Lock your doors and windows.

It seems obvious, but a securely-locked home should always be your first line of defence.

The fresh air may be very welcome when you're hanging out at home (especially during the hot summer months) but leaving the windows open when you go out leaves your home vulnerable to opportunistic burglars. The same goes for failing to lock the door behind you.

It’s important to check and lock any potential access points to your home—including any external buildings you may have on your property, like sheds and garages—before leaving your property unattended.

Be discreet—don’t advertise your absence.

Another major deterrent to burglars is the presence of the homeowners. Knowing that a homeowner will be away from their property for a certain length of time gives burglars a known window of opportunity.

For this reason, we recommend that you...

• Stay silent on social media. Avoid posting about your upcoming holiday or trip online. We understand: you're excited, and you want to share that excitement with your friends on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc. But information can easily spread once it's on the Internet, and the details of your holiday (during which your home will be unoccupied) could easily fall into the wrong hands.
  
  
• Vary your schedule. This one can be a bit more more difficult depending on your personal circumstances, especially if you have a regular work schedule. But if possible, try not to be too predictable—leaving your house and arriving home at different times from one day to the next will throw off anyone who might be carrying out surveillance of your neighbourhood or street.
  
  
• Get a lockable box for parcels and letters. Stashing your deliveries in a locked container kills two birds with one stone: it keeps packages safe from opportunistic thieves AND makes it harder for anyone to notice if your mail is building up (indicating your absence from the property).

Eliminate potential hiding places.

Burglars like to be as invisible as possible. The ability to quickly conceal oneself—or better yet, avoid detection altogether—is an essential skill in the burglary trade. The thieves will want to remain hidden while carrying out pre-burglary surveillance on your property, and they may also need places to hide while they're actually carrying out the job.

You can slash their ability to do both of these things by reducing the number of available hiding places on your property. The following steps can help:

• Stay on top of the gardening. That way, anyone who's monitoring your property won't be able to take cover in long grass or overgrown hedges.
  
  
• Keep outbuildings, sheds and garages locked. This will prevent them being used as hiding places, plus it will protect any expensive equipment stored within.
  
  
• Ensure your exterior lights are in good working order. Remember, you want to remove any possibility for burglars to hide in shadows!

Install motion-sensitive deterrents.

Closely related to the above, motion sensors can be used to activate systems that reduce a burglar’s ability to hide (and deter them from even trying in the first place).

• Add lighting with motion sensors that will reveal anyone trying to hide on your property. Motion-sensitive floodlights can be particularly off-putting to trespassers due to the attention they draw.
  
  
• Install CCTV security cameras with motion sensors and night vision. These will act as both a deterrent and a source of video evidence in the event of a break-in.
  
  
• Use a smart doorbell—like a surveillance camera, this can both deter thieves and capture evidence, even if you’re away from home.
  
  
• Burglar alarms also work by sensing motion. Even the most determined burglar won’t want to risk setting off an intruder alarm and drawing loud attention to their illegal activities.

As you can see, a number of elements must be combined to effectively protect your home from burglars.

Rather than separately implementing all of the steps listed above, we at IDS Security can make things simple with our bespoke home security systems. Our approach is tailored to your specific needs—contact us now to arrange a free home survey and discuss your home security options.

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Vulnerable people who live alone might be keen to install a medical emergency alarm in their homes. These can produce people with the reassurance that they can call for help should the worst happen. Some alarm systems are operated by the person in distress, while other (more sophisticated) medical emergency alarms can be triggered automatically if certain situations occur. Let's take a closer look at some of the different medical emergency alarms.

Patient-triggered medical emergency alarms

There are a number of patient-triggered medical emergency alarms that can be used to call for help when an accident happens. In general, these come in two different forms, either:

• A device that's worn by the patient, eg. a bracelet, that can be activated in an emergency
• A button or cord somewhere in the home that can be pulled/pushed in an emergency

When activated these medical emergency alarms will make a loud noise to alert people nearby, or they'll send a notification to a carer or family member so they can take appropriate action. While these medical emergency alarms are great for occasional accidents, they're not ideal if the vulnerable person can't activate the alarm - for example, if they're having a fit or have become unconscious. There are some other medical emergency alarms that are more appropriate for these scenarios.

Automatically-triggered medical emergency alarms

For scenarios where a person is unable to activate an alarm themselves, there are a number of medical emergency alarm options that can be used to keep them safe. There are also a number of home security systems that can be used to keep an eye on vulnerable people remotely. These are ideal if you need to go to work but worry about leaving an elderly relative on their own, for example. Let's dive into a few popular options.

Intercom systems

Installing an intercom system in a vulnerable person's home is a great way to keep an eye on visitors. Should someone suspicious knock on the door, the vulnerable person can take a look at deciding whether or not to let them in, without having to move from their chair or bed. In addition, family members and carers can access the intercom system to help keep the person safe when strangers come to visit. This can be especially useful for people with dementia or other memory problems who might have trouble deciding who is a friend and who is a foe.

CCTV Systems

CCTV systems can be installed in a vulnerable person's home to help family members and carers check on them in case of an emergency. Many CCTV systems can be accessed remotely from a mobile phone anywhere in the world, so if your mother has a fall in Manchester, you should be able to keep an eye on her and phone the relevant emergency services (or alert her carer) from the other side of the world!

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Sensors

You can install sensors around the house that will automatically alert if something unusual or dangerous happenss. Scenarios that might trigger the sensors  include:

• Areas that are abnormally hot or cold 
• An oven, or fire that's been left on
• A prolonged period where there's no movement in the house
• A fall out of bed, out of the bath or off a chair
• A door opening (eg. the front door) when it shouldn't

Monitored alarm systems

There are a lot of home security systems that can be linked to a maintenance package. This means there's always someone on hand 24 hours a day if a medical emergency should occur. Here at IDS Security, we offer a wide range of monitored security alarm systems, some of which are linked to BT Redcare - a service that contacts the relevant emergency services when an alarm is activated. We find that vulnerable people, homeowners and business owners can benefit from monitored alarms. 

Read More: Monitored Alarm Systems from IDS Security

If you're thinking of installing a medical emergency alarm in your property, or the property of someone you care for, we'd love to help. Here at IDS security, we have years of experience creating bespoke security systems that cater to a variety of concerns - including medical emergencies. 

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So, you've found your dream house, filled in the paperwork, picked up the keys & now you're ready to start your adventure as a new homeowner. Most new homeowners have a long list of jobs to tackle after they move in, from setting up bill payments to redecorating - it's always hectic.

One thing that often gets overlooked by new homeowners is home security. While it may not be your top priority, setting up an effective home security system should be something that new homeowners do shortly after moving in. After all, you don't want all your lovely new home to be vulnerable to burglars, fires or something worse!

First things first, request a survey

It's highly unlikely that you'll know all the vulnerable places in your new home when you've only just moved in. Chances are, you've never had to set up a home security system before, and installing things randomly will not protect your home. A much better idea for new homeowners is to employ the help of home security technicians, like the ones here at IDS Security.

With years of experience surveying homes, installing security systems and even providing regular maintenance, IDS can help new homeowners create a bespoke security system that suits their needs exactly.

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Typical home security systems

Here at IDS, we believe that each home security system should be different, after all, every home is different! That being said, there are a few key components of home security systems that can be integrated just about anywhere to provide a high level of security. So, if you're a new homeowner who's unsure where to start with their home security system, just keep reading...

CCTV Cameras

A great way to keep eyes on your new property at all times is to install CCTV cameras. The IDS team can help you by showing you exactly where to position them to get the best view of the most vulnerable areas. Better still, our CCTV cameras can be accessed remotely from your mobile phone, meaning you can check on your property wherever you are! This is especially great for new homeowners who don't know the area they're moving to, or who are feeling anxious about leaving their property vacant for the first time.

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Intruder Alarms

When you move to a new area, it's natural to feel unsettled. You don't know the people who live near you, or who walk past the front of you home. You may not even know the level of crime that goes on in the neighbourhood. For that reason, it's important that you consider installing an intruder alarm. Not only will it keep your home safe in the event of a burgarly, but it will also put your mind at rest so you can focus on making your new house a home.

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Fire Alarms

It's likely that your new house will have some kind of fire alarm installed, but does it work? And how old is it? If you're looking at adding a security system to your new home that'll last for years to come, we'd highly recommend upgrading your old fire alarm & checking out our maintenance plans. Fires can happen anytime, anywhere, so you want to make sure your new home is properly protected!

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Buying your first home should be an enjoyable experience. With a little help from IDS Security, you can have a top of the range, bespoke home security system installed in no time. Find out more about our home security systems below, or give us a call on 029 20 753 251 to find out more.

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Read More: Do Home Security Systems Impact Home Insurance?

If you're someone with a lot of valuables in your home, it can be a huge worry when you leave your house unoccupied for a period of time. One way that you can keep your valuables safe is by storing them in a safe place. But where are the safest places to store valuables at home? Under the bed? On top of the fridge? Today we're going to take a look at some of the best places to store your valuables at home.

Places you should hide valuables:

• A Safe - Installing a safe with a combination lock or keypad is a great way to store valuables like jewellery. Most burglars want to be in and out of your property quickly, and won't want to waste time faffing with a secure safe. Just make sure that your safe is attached to your home in some way so it can't be taken out in its entirety.

• Food Cupboard - This option is a little less conventional (and not necessarily as secure as a safe), but it can be a good option for items of less value. Burglars are highly unlikely to go stifling through your tins, rice packets or cereal boxes in search of valuables, so the back of a food cupboard could be a good option for you.

• False Bottom Drawer - If you're feeling crafty with DIY, then you might be interested in creating a false bottom drawer to store your valuables. Adding an additional layer to a standard drawer will conceal your valuables and baffle most burglars.

• Kitchen Cache - Another great way to store valuables is to keep them in a cache. This could be anything from a false tin can to a cereal box. Again, it's highly unlikely that a burglar will take the time to open all your cans or check your cereal boxes, so why not use them to your advantage?

Places you shouldn't hide valuables

• In a Drawer - People who leave valuable items in plain sight at the top of a drawer are likely to fall foul to a burglar. If they break into your kitchen, it's quite likely they'll have a quick rummage through your drawers because this is where people often leave spare car keys and other valuables. Drawers are easily accessible, so it's best to pick a different hiding place!

• Under Your Bed/Mattress - If you thought that hiding something under your bed would keep it safe, you're sadly mistaken. Lots of people believe that this is a 'safe' space and it didn't take long for burglars to catch on. Hiding money or other valuables under your bed is not safe!

• The Toilet Tank - We've all seen the movies where money, guns and other contraband are hidden in the toilet tank. Sadly, this is something that some homeowners try when it comes to hiding their valuables and it just doesn't work. Not only will your valuables get wet, but you also run the risk of a burglar uncovering them in a last-ditch attempt to scour your bathroom. Just don't do it.

• Garages - While it might not be the first place you choose to hide your valuables, garages are a no-go! Yes, you might have a sturdy garage door that's always locked, but if a burglar breaks into your house, there's a good chance they'll also gain access to the garage. Don't leave anything valuable in there unless you're 100% sure it's secure.

We could go on forever talking about the do's and don'ts of storing valuables at home, but the safest way to look after your valuables is to invest in a good home security system. Here at IDS Security, we can provide you with CCTV cameras, an intruder alarm and a whole host of other security equipment that will help keep your valuables safe, wherever you are in the world!

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