Vary the routes you take home and the times when you arrive home from work. Check regularly to ensure that you're not being followed. Keep your eyes open for unfamiliar cars or people in the vicinity of your home during several consecutive days. Burglars can learn things about you by doing this.

It is recommended that you check the condition of the locks on all your doors, windows and your outbuildings such as garden sheds, summer houses, garden bars, etc. If you are unsure of the lock condition it is advised to get a lock smith to check for you and they'll tell you the current state of the lock.

If you have locks that are in need of replacing they will need to be replaced with a suitable lock that  complies with the British Standards BS3621. BS3621 is a standard where locks are tested against common burglar techniques such as drilling and picking. 

Locks that can be upgraded to this also include mortice locks, night latches and rim cylinder locks. If you live in a block of flats or apartment the British Standard BS8621 is recommended which allows anyone to exit in the event of an emergency without needing a key

If you are a person who leaves a key under your door mat it is suggested that you purchase a key safe which has a combination lock. Leaving keys under door mats and other things you may have such as flower pots, garden furniture, wheelie bins, etc gives a potential burglar easy access to your home. 

Before you leave your home if you are going out to work, the gym, shops or anywhere else, be sure to check you have locked your windows and doors properly as these are access points for an intruder and are usually the prime target.

Potential intruders must be greeted with a failed attempt at a break in and should therefore be made a difficulty for them to target you.

These days, it is very common to disclose our plans on social networks. Telling everyone about a prolonged absence from your home on social media is just one more invitation to burglars. TGNW advises you to refrain from doing this.

Be careful when you are disclosing holiday plans in a public location as you don't know who is around and anybody could be listening, this is interesting information to a burglar so we recommend you please be careful in regards to taking the risk to discuss holiday plans in the surroundings you are in

TGNW recommend you make your home look like it's occupied if you are going out at night, smart plugs or timers are useful for controlling interior and exterior lighting. Intruders don't like to be seen so lighting puts a burglar off and makes them go elsewhere.

If your exterior lighting is in poor condition we recommend that you have a lighting upgrade or get a Ring Spotlight Camera or Floodlight Camera which both have a good quality lighting output and can send you motion alerts to your phone while you are away so you so can see and hear what's happening, use the microphone to enable the two way communication or sound the built in siren they have directly from the app 

Use/Invest in a CCTV surveillance camera system that is effective and is trusted. A trusted CCTV complies with the NDAA standards and BS EN62676 and BS EN50132. CCTV is an excellent way of catching a criminal and most CCTV systems can connect to you through an app on your device allowing you to monitor your cameras

Make sure you have an alarm system that works fully and be sure to set it when leaving the premises. Intruder alarm systems are vital and will alert local residents in your area when someone has broken in. 

If you are looking at replacing or getting a brand new alarm system fitted TGNW have a wide range of alarm systems to offer. Our alarms are Smart Alarms and have the option to be monitored and can also be controlled via your phone or tablet allowing you top notch high tech security. 

Sash jammers are designed to prevent a door or window from opening when you don't want and can easily be added to patio doors.

If you have French doors you may want to install top and bottom bolts.

Some homes often have French doors or patio doors fitted at the back, it is also possible to add an additional layer of protection to these type of doors. First, check the condition that the current locks are in and if you are unsure how to do this we recommend you get a lock smith to help you check the current state of the lock. If the lock needs replacing they will be replaced with a new Lock Cylinder with an SS312 Diamond or at least 3* Kitemark and the door handles should be approved to SS301 Bronze or TS007 2*.

To improve the security more and prevent a potential burglar from trying the handles on your door you may want to consider investing in the Patlock which ensures the door can't be opened by holding the internal handles steadily in place.

The Patlock security lock is recommended by us and Neighborhood Watch.

See whos at your door before you open it with a digital door viewer or a video doorbell. The key point of these are not only to allow you to see whos at your door but they can also be monitored by an app on your phone. Video door viewers and doorbells feature motion sensors that are built in to detect any movement in its field of view and can also feature two way communication so if you have any unwanted presence while you are in or away you can easily deter the unwanted.

We recommend these as these are beneficial to your line of security for your home.

Door chains are another way of making your front door secure and it's also a great alternative to checking whos at your front door. There are door chains made for all types of doors and chains are now available for UPVC and Composite doors which are very simple and are affordable. Installation is very easy and we recommend fitting a door chain that's approved by the police which means your door chain is accredited by secured by design. 

Letter box fishing is a tactic used by intruders to gain things such as your house keys, now this is quite easy to avoid simply by installing a letterbox guard which prevents letter box fishing from happening and foils the attempted burglary. 

The advantage of this product is it prevents your house keys being stolen, lock manipulation and fishing. We recommend that any letter box guard that is approved to TS008 standards

Windows on many homes and businesses can easily be smashed by a criminal to either reach keys and gain entry of the premises leaving you with a lot of damage, so consider adding reinforced glass or maybe even block up the window with a roller shutter.

Decorative grilles and bars can also vastly improve the security of the premises without being detrimental to the aesthetics and there are many different types to choose from.

Roller shutters on the other hand are also a great way of blocking doors as well as windows

Look for independent approval such as the AIS or Sold Secure approval when purchasing a safe as this automatically means that the safe is insurance approved 

Carefully choose the location of your new garden outbuilding. You'd mainly want it to be as visible as possible 

Use a secure padlock on your outbuildings door as having a decent lock is best, choose one that has a high standard rating preferably above 5 and up where as anything below 5 isn't so secure 

Most hinges that come as standard with an outbuilding normally aren't reliable in terms of security hence why we suggest you look into getting better hinges that are excellent with security and make break ins difficult.

Burglars often try to pry the hinges off your outbuilding door depending on the type so it would be helpful if security hinges were used as they put your an added layer of protection to your personal belongings.

Large garden equipment is the main thing an intruder would target and very commonly get taken first. Lock your large gardening equipment together with a strong chain and strong, secure padlocks as this will prevent the theft of large equipment such as hedge shears, mowers, strimmers, wheelbarrows, etc.

Lock up your equipment to prevent theft  

You can mark your belongings in your shed and other outbuildings with a special security pen that uses invisible ink that can only be read under a UV light by fore scenic police officers. You should write your name and address on your belongings so they know who to return them to.  

Sheds are very common in the UK. Otherwise, where are you going to keep your hanging tools, retired pot plants, pool equipment, bikes, the lawnmower and other garden equipment? Such items have emotional and economic value. Since shed crime is rising, installing a shed alarm is the right way to protect your belongings.

Our shed alarm is the best crime-prevention product because it is easy to install, is used within shed space and is simple to use. Shed alarms integrate doors and windows opening through magnets. The magnet is the TGNW door and window alarm, and it creates a protection area between all strategic entry points. The shed’s doors and windows will be controlled and act as a good trap for burglars.

This way, we protect an easy target for thieves, the shed, and the outdoors, as they are easy to access, and only few homeowners keep such areas controlled. For instance, the deterrent sign and external bell box are the best indicators of outdoor security.

However, if the thief already has broken in, only a good quality alarm will protect your shed. Thus, several shed alarms are available, but only good quality alarms will keep thieves away. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to book a free personal consultation. You can alert us of any emergency 24/7. Discover all the advantages of a shed alarm and request a free security report. In less than 24 hours, your bikes and your children’s favorite toys will be under the protection of the best security expert, the Shed Alarm.

CCTV cameras on your outbuildings is a great idea and we'd recommend you use a Smart CCTV camera so you are able to see what's going on around your shed and with the help of two way communication you can deter an intruder whos trying to break in.

Obscured windows are helpful to your belonging that are in your outbuildings simply because everything isn't in a clear view which will put the intruder off.

Obscured windows are known as privacy windows so we'd highly recommend you do this.