·                   Keep valuable items out of view – if you have electrical equipment worth hundreds of pounds, don’t keep it by the window where passers-by can see it.

·                   Never leave a key under a doormat or on a string through the letterbox – it’s the first place any burglar will look.

·                   Make sure tools and ladders are kept in a secure place – burglars will happily use your own garden equipment to break into your home.

·                   If you’ve taken extra security precautions, let would-be burglars know. If you have an alarm, make sure the box can be clearly seen. If you take part in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, display a sticker in your window, and if you have a dog, put up a warning sign.

·                   Hide financial documents and keys – if someone does break in you don’t want them to also steal from your bank account or take your car.

·                   Make sure you secure all your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even if you are ‘just popping out’.

·                   If you are in the garden or upstairs, make sure your downstairs doors are locked – in the summer burglars can often just open the front door and help themselves.

·                   Deadlock your doors with the key – don’t just lift up the handle.

·                   Make use of all door and window locks fitted in your home.

·                   Consider getting a letter box deflector.

·                   Keep house keys upstairs or store them near the door out of sight for easy access in an emergency.

·                   Keep your car keys away from the front door and store them somewhere safe.

·                   Keep handbags out of sight.