SAFETY INFORMATION
                          (from the Home Office booklet
                                            Be Safe, Be Sure)

Personal Safety at Home

Here are some guidelines for dealing with different situations you may find yourself in.

1 Intruders

Only you can decide how to deal with the situation.  Think about what you might do now - you might not be thinking clearly in a real incident. You could keep a phone in your bedroom so you can raise the alarm; this may also make you feel safer.

It is generally best not to challenge an intruder.

2 Interrupting Burglars

If you come home and find a broken window or lights on and you think there may be a burglar inside it may be best not to go into the house.  Go to a neighbour's house and call the police, or ring the door bell - someone who should be in the house will come to the door, whereas intruders are likely to run away.

Household and Property

Home security is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled.  A lot of burglaries are spur of the moment, as the burglar may see an open window or other easy point of entry and take their chance.

Basic tips

1  When you go out always lock the door and close the windows - even if you are just going out for a short time

2  Window locks, especially on older windows, will help stop people getting in (and remember, a burglar is less likely to break in if they have to smash a window).

3  If you have deadlocks, use them. They make it harder for a thief to get out again.  But don't leave the key near the door in an obvious place

Make sure that any improvements you make don't stop you from getting out of your property as quickly as possible if there is a fire

4  Don't leave spare keys outside or in a garage or shed and put car keys and garage keys out of sight in the house

5  Use timers for lights and radios if you need to be away from home overnight - they will create the impression someone is in

6  Visible burglar alarms, good lighting and carefully directed security lighting can put burglars off

Make sure that lights don't disturb your neighbours and that alarms turn off after 20 minutes.

7  Fences at the back of the house may make this area more secure, but walls and solid fencing may let a thief break in without being seen.  A good compromise is chain-link fencing or trellises with prickly shrubs

8  Fitting a 'spy hole' allows you to see who is at the door.  Having a door chain means that you can open the door a little way to talk to them