16
May
2013
By Calvin at 13:19 GMT, 13 years ago
I’ve been asked by several visitors who have carried out the Home Security Survey on the Crime Prevention Website whether I could offer some further guidance as to the urgency of the security improvements they might have to make and what score they should be aiming to achieve. These are fair points to raise, but they are not so easy to answer since crime risks and burglary are quite variable according to current criminal activity in the area where you live and what type of dwelling you live in. I know this sounds a bit obvious/silly, but stick with me and also take a look at some further explanation about these matters in Burglary risk on this website.
For those of you who have carried out the survey you’ll see that the Home Security Report provides you with points of advice that have been generated by the answers that you have given. The risk assessment score has been calculated and weighted using data from various Crime Surveys for England and Wales and my knowledge gained from conducting literally hundreds of home security surveys when I was a police Crime Prevention Officer. I’ve also taken account of the findings of numerous research papers on the subject, such as the work on repeat victimisation by Professor Ken Pease and others.
In an attempt to offer some additional guidance I have created five categories of ‘likelihood of being burgled’ (below) but before I expand on these various categories (I sound like Keith Lemon!) I have several important things to mention:
- There is no such thing as a zero risk of burglary. You can get close, but a completely secure dwelling is not possible, because we generally only secure them against known and anticipated risks and the fallibility of the occupier sometimes means that the one day in the year that you forget to lock the back door or set the alarm is the very day that burglar Bill arrives on the scene! Otherwise known as Murphy’s Law.
- Achieving the average national score of 60 does NOT mean that your dwelling is secure! The ‘average’ score, which I update from time to time on the Home Security Survey page, is a combination of everybody’s scores and so will include some of the most and least secure dwellings. Less secure dwellings are very much in the majority over very secure dwellings so being Mr or Mrs or Miss or Ms or Master Average is absolutely no guarantee whatsoever against your dwelling getting burgled. In fact, scoring 60 means that you have some glaring security weaknesses that must be sorted out!
- If you’ve just been burgled then you must improve your security urgently! Research into repeat victimisation clearly demonstrates the need to get down to the DIY centre, call the locksmith or alarm company and improve your security, before the same burglars return or some other thieves recognise the same weaknesses in your property’s defences and take advantage of them. This heightened risk of a second burglary can last up to six weeks and more. Why is this the case? Well, the same burglars might have seen other stuff they want to steal and will come back for it or you might have replaced things in anticipation of your insurance claim, so there’s brand new stuff to take!
- If neighbours within 400 metres have been burgled your place could be next on the list. Once again I am referring to Ken Pease’s work which strongly suggests that the closer you live to someone who’s just been burgled the higher chance you’ll have of being burgled as well. This may be because your dwelling is of a similar design. For example, all the houses along your street may have deeply recessed front doors that suit the MO of the thief currently burgling in your area. Or maybe you live on a modern housing estate where all your doors and windows are the same and which are vulnerable in some way. An exception to this would be homes built to the police Secured by Design standards.
- Beware of temporary changes to your risk. By this I mean that something is going on in your area that is giving advantage to the thieves. For example, if you live in a block of flats and builders have erected scaffolding to fix the roof or replace the windows then there’ll be a climbing frame outside your dwelling creating opportunities that were not there before.
So, I hope you can appreciate that in terms of when and if to carry out your security improvements it is what is happening here and now that must be taken into consideration. So below is a table that I shall publish in the Home Security Survey section of the website, which offers just a little more guidance about what your scores mean.
Not taken the survey yet? It’ll only take you about 20 minutes and you’ll be sent a report to save and keep which includes links to other parts of the website for more detailed advice. What’s more, up until 31st May you’ll be automatically entered into our free prize draw to win a £500 voucher towards a safe (terms and conditions apply)
Do give it a go – you know it makes sense!
Your score and the chances of burglary
Score 0 – 38 Highly likely ‘Who lives in a house like this?’ is the phrase that springs to mind and my answer to the question is ‘certainly not me!’ Dwellings like this have no window locks, simple nightlatches on the front door, open access to the various elevations of the building and the occupiers don’t practice even the most basic security procedures. Although, of course, there will be exceptions, these buildings get burgled very often indeed and are uninsurable. To say that urgent remedial action is required is rather stating the obvious!
Score 39 – 51 Likely These are the dwellings that really irritate the police, because they are the ones that keep messing up the crime statistics! A home like this might have a few security measures, such as the right lock in the front door, and the occupiers might remember to lock the back door and leave a light on when they go out, but frankly security improvements need to be made now and you’ll need to improve your security routines as well. Most homes as insecure as these are unlikely to be insurable. You may have insurance cover, but don’t be surprised if the insurers don’t pay out should the worst happen.
Score 52 – 69 The Grey Zone I call this the Grey Zone, because there are people who live homes at the lower end of this range of scores who will never get burgled. This might be because they live in the countryside where burglary levels are half that of the cities, or perhaps because they live in a part of a town or city that simply doesn’t experience much crime of any type. Frankly, I think you’re living on borrowed time and I would strongly advise you to make some improvements over the next few weeks. If your home is at the higher end of this range of scores then it’s clear to me that you have given some consideration to your security needs and practice some pretty sensible security procedures. However, your home will be presenting some obvious opportunities to the thief and so some more consideration followed by some action is clearly required. Most homes scoring towards the upper end of this range will be insurable.
Score 70 – 78 Unlikely People living in dwellings that score in this range will be reasonably satisfied about their security and the home will almost definitely be insurable. Although it is unlikely that your home will be burgled, ‘unlikely’ does not mean that it can’t happen. It is generally forgetfulness or complacency that results in these homes getting burgled and much ‘kicking oneself’ follows such an event. I live in a home that scores at the top of this score range and it’s forgetfulness that led to my burglary – left the key in the door with a cat-flap! You will have noted from the home security report you have been sent that even you can do more to improve your security and so when the opportunities arise, such as when you replace your windows and or doors, do make reference to the security report again to see what more you can do.
Score 79 – 100 Highly unlikely Homes like these will have nearly all that is required to deter the opportunist burglar and the only way you are likely to suffer a crime is through forgetfulness and complacency. However, I’ve noticed that some of the Home Security Reports issued to homes in this score range often include a recommendation to mark valuable items of property, so even you can do something more to help yourself (and the police) should a thief pay a visit.
