London Survival Guide: Avoiding Theft & Burglary
Living and working in one of the world’s most vibrant and bustling cities offers a wide variety of benefits, putting you or your business right in the heart of the action.
However, as with all major urban environments, London has its fair share of problems when it comes to crime – not least from the threat of theft and burglary. This is reflected in related statistics from the region, compiled by the Metropolitan Police Service, which clearly show the dangers that are ever-present in boroughs across the capital.
Almost 80,000 burglaries reported in London in the last 12 months
Despite being down by 11.3% on the same period last year, the number of incidents of forced entry (or damage caused by attempted burglary) is still extremely high, totalling 79,301 for the 12 month period between November 2013 and November 2014.
The figures remain relatively consistent between the centralised business areas and the outlying residential areas (Westminster, for example, accounts for 3,506 of the total amount, while Barnet is up at 3,787), so it is equally important to protect both homes and businesses.
23,885 robberies reported in London in the last 12 months
Again, this figure is significantly down on last year’s statistics, but protecting yourself and your possessions from robbery is still an ongoing concern throughout London.
Being aware of the activity of thieves in the area surrounding your home and business will help to inform you as to the best way to avoid an unfortunate incident. Sufficient external lighting on your premises will go some way towards deterring a quick smash-and-grab theft, such as a vehicle break-in, while having internal lighting on timers to come on after dark will give the impression that you are at home.
Keep yourself and your Property Safe
There are a number of steps you can take to ensure that your property is as safe as it can be from the threat of burglary.
Begin by identifying potentially vulnerable areas. These might include doors or windows that are not fully secured, whether old or substandard. Pay particular attention to the parts of your property that are not visible from the street, such as back gardens or works entrances.
Security alarms are always the best weapon in the fight against burglaries. Not only will they provide an audible alert that will both notify those nearby to the break-in in progress and shock the intruder, they also provide a visual deterrent that would make most opportunistic thieves thinks twice.
CCTV is another fantastic deterrent, and provides evidence for the police and insurance companies should they not be sufficient to avert a burglary. Many CCTV systems for businesses can be remotely monitored to keep an eye on your property 24/7.
AAI Security Systems are one of the leading providers of burglar alarm and CCTV systems for homes and businesses in the London area. Our expert team have over 50 years of experience within the industry and are on hand to help design an alarm or camera setup tailored to the exact needs of your property, keeping you and your home or business safe across the capital.