National Home Security Month: Top Tips
October is National Home Security Month, making it the perfect time to ensure you are keeping your home safe and secure. According to Crimestoppers and ONS data, a burglary occurs the equivalent of once every 116 seconds in the UK.
People are often surprised to discover that 38% of these burglaries happen during the daytime, so it’s vital never to be complacent and to have around the clock protection in place.
With this in mind, here are some top tips to help keep your home safe this winter and beyond:
Lock Up Your Ladders
Make sure all valuables such as car keys, are out of sight away from the letterbox and never hide spare keys in obvious places such as under flowerpots. Certain items, when left visible or accessible, can make a burglar’s life much easier and yours much harder!
Criminals often use homeowners’ own ladders and tools to attempt to access upstairs windows, which are more likely to have been accidentally left open, so make sure that these are always locked away out of sight.
Protect Your Packages
While security cameras act as a great deterrent and alert you to any attempts to damage or enter your property, one thing they can’t do is physically pick up any packages left on your door that could be stolen, or be a giveaway that you’re not home.
But with the Wireless Video Doorbell PRO’s inbuilt two way talk feature, you can simply ask the person delivering your parcels (in real time) to leave them in a safe place or with a trusted neighbour – problem solved!
Lights, Camera, Safety!
Installing motion activated lights around the perimeter of your home is a great way to deter would-be burglars. The Toucan Security Light Camera has a built-in 1200 lumen super bright light with radar motion detection and can be turned on manually, on schedule or when movement is detected in customisable motion zones.
Remember to include your driveway when customising the camera’s motion zones, as the bright light and other features, such as two-way talk, can help keep your car safe, too. You can also set up an auto greeting to say “step away from the vehicle, you are being recorded” when motion is detected. This is a great way to put off would-be car thieves.
Choose Remote Control
Always choose smart home security items that can be paired with apps allowing you remote access and controls. All Toucan Smart Home items can be paired with the Toucan Smart Home App, which is free to download and unlike competitor brands, requires no paid for subscription so you’ll have no monthly fees.
With the app, you can control and access wide angle, 1080p full HD video, 24/7, live on demand. You can also review a 24-hour history and download footage should you need to keep it for any reason. You can even share the app with one additional user within the free service!
When you aren’t proactively watching footage live, inbuilt motion sensors will send instant alerts to your smart device flagging movement wherever you are in the world.
Features include two-way audio, night vision, pre-recorded messages to obscure your voice, inbuilt siren alarms and an option to call emergency services at the press of a button if required, so you can relax safe in the knowledge you’ll always be alerted should you need to check anything out.
Click here to explore the entire range of home security options available from Toucan Smart Home.