Staying safe at Christmas – don’t leave it all up to Fido

Christmas should be about joy and sharing not about security and theft; however, we’d be foolish to think that there aren’t unscrupulous opportunists out there who are more than prepared to steal Christmas from the unprotected. In fact, here are some statistics we should all be aware of as we enter the festive season:

• December sees more claims for domestic burglary than any other month
• Most common items stolen are phones, laptops, cash, laptops, jewellery, games consoles and tablets due to their portability
• We know that 2020 was an exceptional year with more people at home but there were still just over 750 domestic burglaries per day

With stats like that, would you trust your faithful friend to protect your home and its festive cheer?

We’re going to take a look at some easy ways to make sure Santa’s the only person who can get into your house without a key!

The centrepiece

We all love a Christmas tree and the room you choose to put it in is up to you, but it really is best not to make it visible from the outside. You might want to show off your heirloom baubles, but a Christmas tree can be a magnet to a burglar simply because a tree usually means gifts.

Purely from a health and safety point of view, try and position it close to an electrical socket so the cable for your fairy lights doesn’t become a trip hazard (more likely after a Christmas tipple!). Also, if it’s a natural tree, keep it away from radiators because the heat can dry the needles out and it then becomes a fire hazard.

Stashing the gifts

Most parents will have a good idea of the best location for hiding presents, it’s the one the kids don’t know about! But here are a few more tips for keeping your gifts safe until the big day:

• Firstly, avoid wrapping presents early and putting them under the tree, it’s safer to wait until the last minute.
• In terms of storage, I would hide them in a suitcase and put them in the attic; this might seem like an unnecessary precaution, but burglars tend to be well aware of where people hide valuable items.
• Finally, don’t hide them in sheds and garages. These are easy targets and sometimes not covered by your home insurance.

Cameras for security

Why not keep a watchful eye on your property with CCTV? If you have CCTV or are thinking about installing it, you’ll want to ensure that the front of the house and any vulnerable points are covered. The most important factor with domestic CCTV is that the cameras block out your neighbours home and property. This is to comply with GDPR and people have been caught out by it, so always double check.

Maintain your system

If you already have a security system, which would mainly comprise of an intruder alarm and CCTV, it’s well worth getting in a professional domestic security company to give it the once over before Christmas. It’s important that it’s functioning as it should for extra vigilance throughout December.

Your Christmas security checklist

• Always make sure you lock your doors and windows and that your alarm is armed when you go out.
• Basic security measures you can take are to install a minimum of two cameras covering front and back entrance and lights – burglars hate to be seen! Motion activated lights are perfect in this situation and they are easy to install yourself.
• If you’re after more robust security, smart systems are now more affordable than ever. You can have a smart home security system that connects to your phone so you can arm it and disarm it remotely. There are also bolt-on devices available such as smart light bulbs so you can turn them on and off also from your phone. You can include these in your security system or have them as a standalone.
• There are also detectors available now that include motion, camera and audio so you can actually speak to people in your home or on your property.

Above all it’s important to stay safe and have a great time. So, on behalf of the team at Zicam, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Barry Gunningham, Business Development Manager, Zicam Integrated Security Limited.

Subscribe here to keep up to date with Zicam’s news and views.