Secure premises before break-in, not after, warns Ironmongery Direct

A recent survey of 733 tradespeople by IronmongeryDirect has found that 86% said their customers only asked them to fit security products after a break-in to their property. At the same time, research by the National Home Security Month, happening during the month of October, shows that a home is five times more likely to be burgled if no security measures are in place against those with two or three measures taken.

Certain areas of a property are more vulnerable to a break-in than others, with doors and windows obviously being the most susceptible, while dark areas outside provide the ideal cover for intruders.

According to a report published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), forcing locks is the second highest method of entry for burglars (with open or unlocked doors being the primary means). So, it’s no surprise that the IronmongeryDirect survey revealed that 64% of tradespeople scored door locks as the most effective way of securing a building, and 72% saying door locks are the most popular security product they fit for customers.

The survey also found that 67% of tradespeople said their customers were concerned about window security, with window locks being the second most popular security measure they fit for customers.

The two most popular methods of securing external boundaries and dark areas around a property are security lighting and CCTV. Almost a third of tradespeople responding to the survey said that security lighting was the third most popular product they fitted for customers.