Online, it’s not hard to find one article after another about supposedly reliable ways you can secure your home against burglars. Many of the tips make logical sense: install CCTV cameras, set alarms, keep your doors and windows locked. However, do these tips always work in practice?

There’s probably no more reliable insight into this subject than the opinions of former burglars. Many of their views shed light on the true importance of home security – and whether the security-conscious methods to which you have long resorted are really as safe as you assume.

Do you really need to keep your doors locked?

Many people don’t seem to think so. In one survey reported by the Express, 14% of respondents admitted to leaving their front doors unlocked, while 16% even neglected to lock their back door. You might wonder what the chances are of someone attempting a break-in anyway.

However, the bad news is that, if they do attempt it, they are likely to do so by initially trying the front door – and, if that fails, trying another door on the property. Burglars also often enter homes through windows, which 31% of people leave open when their homes are unoccupied.

Do visual deterrents really work?

In truth, it probably depends what type it is. Installing a CCTV camera clearly visible from outside your home can be a very powerful deterrent – even more so than a security alarm.

Nonetheless, former burglar Michael Fraser told TV’s This Morning that a “Beware of the Dog” sign is likely to encourage, rather than deter, an opportunistic burglar – as it will suggest that, if a dog can roam around your home without setting off an alarm, so could the burglar.

Ask yourself what a thief would do

“It’s being sensible, looking at your property and imagining you haven’t got the keys – how would you get in?” Fraser says in words quoted by Ideal Home. Therefore, if you know a “secret passage” – like a bathroom window – into your home, your secret’s probably not quite as safe as you think.

For this reason, you always want to keep yourself one step ahead of potential burglars – and you can do that by implementing various layers of security at your home. That way, if one line of defence fails, the next one could still stand a chance of catching the burglar in the act.

Our team here at Versed Automation are thoroughly experienced in installing smart security solutions – including cameras, doorbells and alarms – in homes across London. As these solutions can be wirelessly linked to your smartphone, you could see who is at your door even when you aren’t physically in the property. This functionality can give you considerable peace of mind.