If You Were A Burglar....

[Jennykenny]

What would put you off the most?
A) a light in the conservatory, which lights up the whole, small, garden?
B) a standard lamp in the conservatory which is timed to come on and off?
C) a standard lamp in the dining room, (with timer), next to the conservatory, with the curtains open a little?
Have had someone in my garden twice recently.

[sacha.86]

Curtains closed, light on a timer in the main living area and a flood light.

[Svejk]

Burglars are probably well acquainted with all those things. I've heard it said (on TV) a few times that they prefer breaking into houses when they think the people are in. (strange as that seems, to me anyway)

[mallyh]

have you told the police and your neighbourhood watch about the intruder .

[Baldric]

A and B I don't rate at all, you can see into conservatory that no-one is there, C is better but 1 or 2 PIR operated floodlights would be even better imo.

[naomi24]

Three lights left on timers - bedroom, bathroom, living room. The daftest thing people ever do when they're out is to leave a single light on in the hall - a sure sign of an empty house. Few people sit in the hall.

[sandyRoe]

You can buy a lamp that flickers like a television screen. If it was on upstairs a burglar might think a house occupied with a number of people.

[silliemillie]

Most of the TV shows say put lights up around your property as burglars like the cover of darkness, so if the conservatory lights up the whole garden I would leave that on for sure.

[Mosaic]

Whay not also put radio 4 or some other talk station on a timer, in different parts of the house, and also add a some barking / growling sounds (google dog bark sounds for burglar alarm)

[Canary42]

(A)

[Old_Geezer]

Motion detecting flood lamps outside might achieve something. Especially if they follow motion. But otherwise all 3 suggested options in the OP seem unlikely to do a lot. Were I the type to have the nerve & desire to nose around someone's garden I'd just freeze, wait, and see what the real situation was. Being on show, spotlighted, would unnerve me though.

[ummmm]

I was victim to a middle of the night burglar....the one night I didn't leave a light on!

[Old_Geezer]

Coincidence I suspect.

[ummmm]

No..OG, doubt it. He'd done 26 houses within weeks of mine. Drug addict...the night I left the lights off I was done (while we slept, stole from our rooms, while we slept)

He got 5 years when he was caught.

[TWR]

A high rise Sensor light on the Side / Gable of your house & install a CCTV, the cost for a CCTV Setup does not cost a fortune, can be set up in a matter of hours with a sign to the effect, "This house is fitted with CCTV" That is what I have done on our property.

[Jennykenny]

Mall, yes, police. They have noted the details.
Neighbour hood Watch, we don't have one, but seriously looking in to starting one.

[Jennykenny]

Thanks to all.
Will definitely work on your suggestions.

[alavahalf]

Having attended 100s of burglaries to improve security ( at the request of the Police ) ... I find that the vast majority are distraction burglaries.
Most people who are burgled talk to the burglar and let them in .. and I would say the person most likely be burgled is an older lady living alone.
Sorry, but that's what I find ..

As for putting them off as OG has already said.. a motion sensor light is possibly the best thing.
If it's at night a PIR light set on a short time lapse will attract the attention of the neighbours with a 500watt bulb going off and on.
If you are double glazed there is not a lot more you can do, other than making sure you have double locked your doors and removed the keys from your window locks as well. If you have a garden shed remove any spades, as these are the favourite tool for opening windows that are locked.
Out of all the incidents I have attended I have never seen an occasion where someone has climbed through broken glass. Have seen glass units and window frames removed to gain access though. If they are prepared to get in you wont stop them.
The easiest way of breaking into most properties with very little damage,
is through the front door !

[naomi24]

We’ve been burgled twice. The first time the burglar smashed a double glazed window with a garden spade and climbed in over large jagged pieces of glass left in the frame; the second time a whole double glazed unit was removed and replaced after the burglar had finished. The police couldn’t figure out how he had gained access – until my husband spotted the signs. The more light the better.

[gness]

The only way to get into my last house without being seen was through the un-curtained conservatory.
If I was away, apart from timed lights and radio, I would make a large, sleeping body on the sofa......pillows, a wig and a duvet.
On the floor I'd leave a plate with supper remains, a can of beer and a large studded dog collar.....☺

Don't know if this deterred anyone....but I wasn't ever burgled and Grandma's lodger amused the kids.....x

[sacha.86]

Tie your camel (I.e do your part) and leave the rest to God (if God wills no matter what you do you're gona lose your camel anyway).