Police Unlikely to Solve Break-Ins: How to Keep Property Safe from Burglars
Concerned about your possessions in the event of a break in? You aren’t alone. All About Safes recently ran a survey to discover what the British public really think about how the police would handle their case. Read the results here.
Many of us are concerned about our personal or business property, and there is good reason for it. Around 500,000 homes are burgled each year in the UK, while half of all business premises will be the victim of a similar crime at some point during their time of operation. Crime is also on the rise, with the most recent decade seeing an increase in almost all forms of illegal activity across the nation.
So how worried should you really be? Should you be looking at ways to keep your property safe from burglars?
At All About Safes, it is our mission to keep your valuable possessions out of the hands of criminals. Through providing high-quality and top-level security safe products and services, we’ve helped countless individuals secure their personal and business goods.
But what if you don’t have a safe? What happens if your items are stolen? We wanted to find out if people trust the police to get their property back if the worst should happen.
The Results: Most People Wouldn’t Trust Police to Recover Stolen Goods
In a survey of 1,200 individuals across the UK, All About Safes asked one simple question: If your property was stolen during a break in, would you trust the police to recover it? The results were conclusive.
- 78% of people in Britain do not believe the police would recover their goods, leaving just 22% of individuals who have faith in our public services.
The data uncovered by All About Safes paints a very clear picture. It reveals that British people do not believe that authorities will recover their goods if stolen during a break in.
But are these opinions reflective of true property recovery rates?
The Truth: Will Police Recover Stolen Property? Reports Confirm Common Fears
Unfortunately, the British public’s opinion aligns with current reports of possession recovery following a burglary. In fact, the individuals surveyed tended to overestimate the chances of seeing their valuable and beloved possessions returned.
This is an alarming statistic. In 2018, you are highly unlikely to see your belongings recovered in the event that they are stolen from your home or business. Not only can this have damaging financial repercussions, but it may also result in objects with significant sentimental value being lost, never to be seen again.
Worried you might be at risk of losing valuable or personally-significant items to theft? Don’t risk the worst. Browse our range of the best security safes in the UK today.
Playing the Blame Game
It’s all too easy to point the finger at police for not doing their jobs properly, but, in a statement discussing the reports of low possession recovery rates, a spokesperson from the Met said:
“Solving crime is a key priority for the Met and we are committed to doing all we can to cut crime, pursue offenders and support victims.”
Even as budget cuts continue to blight the public service, there can be no doubt that police continue to work diligently to support their communities and solve crime as best they can. However, recovering personal and business goods following a break-in is a difficult task for a number of reasons.
The majority of burglaries are crimes of opportunity. Criminals find open windows and doors and enter a property, staying for just a few minutes. This leaves very little in the way of evidence for police to follow, while a lack of witnesses or CCTV footage also contributes to an inability to track down thieves. Even if they are found and charged, which only happens in around 9% of cases, recovery of your goods may still be impossible, as most criminals will quickly sell stolen property.
With dwindling resources and little in the way of evidence to help them solve crimes, it is little wonder that upwards of 95% of burglaries remain unsolved. However, there are things that you as a homeowner or business owner can do to not only prevent theft but also help catch criminals and recover goods.
How to Keep Property Safe from Burglars
Protecting your personal and business possessions is all about increasing security. Many business premises and residential properties do not have adequate security measures in place to prevent burglars from breaking and entering, or even just slipping in through an unlocked door.
With that in mind, our security experts at All About Safes have put together some recommendations that will help you up your property’s protection to keep your valuables more secure:
Awareness
Different areas of the country are prone to different types of criminal activity and, therefore, are subject to varied burglary tactics and property threats. Possessing an awareness of crimes occurring in your local area helps you shore up your security in a focused and targeted way, which increases the efficacy of your protective measures.
You can search for local crimes and activity in the police database.
Deterrence
Previously convicted criminals admit that deterrence factors, such as CCTV, alarms and security lights, would stop them from committing a crime. Anything that could potentially contribute evidence or incriminate a burglar instantly puts them off, reducing your risk of becoming a target. Investing in deterrence systems for your property’s security is a must for those who want to keep valuables safe from burglars. These deterrence factors also help produce evidence to help police in the event of theft, as CCTV can provide images of criminals, while security lights make the area more visible to potential witnesses.
Tracking
The most commonly stolen items in the UK are car keys, jewellery and electronics. While tracking jewellery isn’t easy, many cars can be fitted with tracking devices to allow them to easily be located if they go missing. This means that, even if license plates are swapped or the car’s appearance is changed, you’ll be able to find it. This isn’t often a security feature that comes as standard, but it can be added for peace of mind.
As for electronic devices, most now have some form of internet connectivity — even TVs. As a result, the item will likely be used to access the web at some point. While criminals may destroy data and reset devices to avoid being caught, each electronic device will have a registered serial number. If you record your serial numbers — for example, in a notebook — these details can be passed onto police in the event of theft. If your devices are then used, the serial number may allow investigators to track them down and return them.
Barriers
The final, and perhaps most important, step you can take to secure your goods is putting up barriers that prevent access. While this may include access controls to your business or an advanced residential lock system, when it comes down to it, the best thing you can do to prevent burglars stealing items is to secure them in a state-of-the-art safe. Locking your valuables away means only those with access to the security details of the safe can get their hands on them, preventing even the most cunning of burglars from stealing your possessions.
Picking the Best Security Safe for You
There are thousands of options available when it comes to purchasing a safe. Finding the right unit for you will depend entirely on your unique circumstances and security concerns. Before looking at safes for sale in the UK, consider the following advice from our expert safe engineers.
Where Are You Housing Your Safe?
The location of your safe will play an important role in determining what type of safe you’ll need. Most safes are found in one of two locations:
-
At Home
Home safes tend to require smaller amounts of space, as they rarely house more than jewellery, electronics, small amounts of cash and other personal items. This means you’ll likely get away with buying a compact safe, which are not only easier to hide, but can also be more budget-friendly.
-
In a Business Property
Business safes generally require higher levels of security, due to the legal implications of holding company assets and the general value of business property. This means you’ll likely want to seek out a high-security option. Another thing to consider is that your business safe may require multiple-personnel access, which means you’ll want to avoid traditional lock-and-key safes in favour of newer technology, such as biometrics and keycodes.
Is Your Safe Going to Be Hidden?
Underfloor safes or wall-mounted safes provide excellent protection from burglars. A concealed safe is not only harder to find — and, therefore, access — but it’s also harder to remove. However, if you do intend to use this kind of safe, it’s important to buy one that features the right fittings and fixtures that allow for proper installation.
Simply purchasing a standard safe and placing it in a wall space or under the floorboards will not provide the maximum level of protection that can be afforded by these types of units. Be sure to buy the right safe for your property for complete peace of mind that your valuables are secured as well as they can be.
If your safe isn’t hidden and is out in the open, you’ll want to ensure it’s heavily weighted, so that it cannot be easily removed from your property and then forcibly opened in a more secure location. When browsing All About Safes, you will notice all safe weights are noted in the product information, providing total awareness when it comes to unit security.
What Kind of Valuables Will It Contain?
Safes are available with a variety of different security features and access methods, including:
- Biometrics
- Multilayer Systems
- Keycodes and Electronic Access
- Lock and Key
- Touchscreens
- Combination Codes
Each provides a different type and level of security and protection. When choosing a safe, you’ll want to carefully consider what kind of protection you want and need. Typically, the higher the level of security afforded, the more the safe will cost. However, the valuables you intend to house within your safe should dictate the unit you decide to purchase.
If, for example, you have a £20,000 watch to secure, you don’t want to be storing it in a safe with a basic or low-end security rating that is meant to hold small and low-value personal items. Likewise, if you’re only storing a few phones or a small amount of cash, you won’t need a large, high-security unit.
Safes are an investment. You get the level of security out for the money you put in. Be keenly aware of this fact when buying your safe and you’ll be more likely to find a make and model that is right for you.
Cash Rated Safes
Securing valuables within a safe won’t, unfortunately, completely eliminate the threat of your items being stolen. However, owning a safe still bestows many benefits and can ensure you are financially protected in the event of theft.
In the likely circumstance that your belongings are not recovered, you will be left to cover the costs if you do not have insurance. With insurance coverage, you have some protection, but it can sometimes be hard to get the payout you deserve. So how can safes help?
Eurograded safes provide a guarantee of payment by insurers.
Eurograded safes are safes tested by independent organisations that test the quality and protective capabilities of safe units. These safes come with ratings from £2,000 to £6,000 or even higher*. By purchasing an approved cash rated safe, the items held within are secured to that value. Insurers will frequently require the rating when insuring the unit as part of your policy.
*Values are rated by cash held within safes. Possessions secured inside are protected up to a value of ten times that of the cash rating. For example, a cash rated safe of £4,000 can provide insurance protection of up to £40,000 worth of physical property, such as jewels or business assets.
Are There Other Factors to Consider?
Sometimes, theft might not be the only reason you require a safe to protect your goods. Safes provide protection during other scenarios, including:
-
Risk of Fire
The loss of property in a fire can be just as devastating as theft. If you believe you are at risk of fire, fireproof safes can ensure additional protection of cash and sentimental items, such as family photographs and jewellery.
-
Risk of Chemical Exposure
If you need to house chemicals or other dangerous substances, special safes are required to ensure effective storage and reduce the risk of contamination.
-
Firearms and Weapons
Firearms and other weapons require a different sort of security safe and need to be kept separate from other belongings in order to meet legal standards.
Always consider any additional requirements of your safe and shop appropriately. It is a common misconception that a safe is just a safe. In reality, the product range available is incredibly varied and diverse, which means the perfect solution for your unique needs is always available.
Regardless of what kind of safe you need, you can find it on All About Safes. From high-security cash rated safes to budget and second-hand units, our stock list is comprehensive.
Comments are closed here.