Ex-Detective Constable Chris answers one of the most frequently asked questions:
It is something I get told a lot when first meeting our customers for consultations - what they believe to be a burglary deterrent, often they are unfortunately wrong and misinformed.
Here at SheffLOCK we thought we would offer clarity as to the differences between current burglary deterrents and ACTUAL PREVENTION.....
The list goes on and on .... over and over - with no-one actually aware of what is a guaranteed burglary prevention. The overall conclusion from the public is:
“Well, if they want to get in they will”
Firstly, let’s determine the differences between the two terms:
A thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something.
The action of stopping something from happening or arising. When it comes to burglary prevention the truth is that the majority of the advice available revolves around alleged deterrents and very little (if anything) is provided regarding ACTUAL PREVENTION.
Firstly, concentrate on preventing a crime occurring before implementing deterrents however, ensure the deterrents are current and proven to be effective.
The majority of current deterrent advice is proven time and time again to not dissuade burglars at all.
There are of course many more.
During the course of my police career as a detective in the Sheffield burglary unit, I dealt with the most prolific burglars who perceived criminality as a career.
Once a burglar is caught and processed, the judicial system in England & Wales dictates that ALL EVIDENCE AGAINST THE DEFENDANT BE DISCLOSED. This includes the evidence as to how and why they were caught.
The burglar is then given the opportunity to evolve their methods of offending to bypass any possible flaws in his or her modus operandi.
They pass this knowledge onto criminal associates, especially if serving a custodial sentence in prison (they are in prison with other burglars!). As a result, the following security deterrents are combatted:
The majority of burglars, if not all, now wear hats or have hoods up and cover faces with scarves or balaclavas.
Burglars also rarely wear distinctive clothing which makes identifying them extremely difficult, if not impossible.
A few years ago, there was a big change to offending times from nighttime to daytime as most people who hear an alarm sounding during the day find this more of annoyance and rarely investigate this further. Criminals also know that the majority of people are less likely to be in during the daytime. In addition, if you have a pet, like a dog, you are less likely to set your alarm to prevent false activation.
The majority of external lighting is actually situated in a position whereby it is easily reached therefore we have seen a rise in wires being cut or lighting simply being destroyed or covered. The previous point touches on offending times being in the daytime which totally negates security lighting.
What methods are currently being used to commit burglaries?
What can actually prevent (not deter) these methods of burglary being used?
Have I got these essential preventative products installed in my home?
We, as burglary prevention experts, have the answers and are proud to say that products supplied and fitted by SheffLOCK have a 100% success rate.
Join the thousands of SheffLOCK customers in making their homes safe from burglary and contact us now for further information and advice or to book your free consultation appointment with me or one of our experienced members of staff.
Preventative products that are accredited and given police approval are the very foundation of what home security from SheffLOCK is based upon - these products and methods ARE PROVEN to work.
Put simply - If they can’t get into your house, they cannot commit the offence of burglary!
