Home security equipment
Sometimes small things can make a big difference. When it comes to keeping yourself, your home or your possessions safe and secure, you can make use of small, cheap items of equipment to make a big difference to your security and to your peace of mind.
CCTV systems; outside lighting and security doors all have an important role but can be expensive and more difficult to install. But if you can put some of this security in place please do. But small items can help with
security and peace of mind too.
For example:
Personal alarms: When out and about carry an alarm; attach it to your bag or your keyring. When triggered these emit a vey loud noise which can dissuade attackers and raise attention.
When you’re away from home: plug in a lamp into a socket timer and make it come on and off at times to pretend you are in. Or use a TV simulator device to make it look as if your TV is on and you’re sat watching it.
Miniature alarms: you can get alarms that hang over your door handle so that if someone tries the handle to get in, they’ll trigger the alarm. Or alarms that stick to a window pane so if the glass is shaken or vibrated it sounds an alarm. A few handle and window alarms can be a useful, cheap alarm sensor network.
Night lights: make sure you don’t have any dark corners around your house. Plug in or battery powered lights can be put almost anywhere, many with movement sensors.
Hide your valuables: clearly a safe is a good hiding place but you can also use a fake tin, book or candle that looks like the real thing but is hollow and can be used to conceal small valuable items. Stick things in a fake soup tin in amongst your other tins and make it really hard for that burglar to find it!
These are just some ideas. Most of these are hard to buy on the high street but Amazon often has a good selection. Ideally make sure your items are “Secured by Design” accredited such as the Defender Range. Defender has their own website at
where these items can be purchased easily.
There are often grant funded programmes distributing items like these to more vulnerable residents so ask your ward councillor; local Police representative or a community venue if there is such an offer near you.
But a small investment in these small items can increase your personal and home security easily and bring you some peace of mind.