There has been a lot written and spoken about the need for windows to be secure and not have any draughts to help maintain energy efficiency this autumn and winter as Britons battle against higher energy bills. But security matters too.
Now the clocks have gone back, the darker months of the year provide lots of opportunities for burglars to sneak around unseen, looking for homes where the windows or doors are not secure.
This year could be even better for them because come December, when presents under the tree will be a sitting duck for thieves in some cases, there will be fewer colourful lights providing illumination on the outside of homes due to the cost.
All this is enough of a good reason to get replacement window and door locks to ensure your property is secure over the coming months.
Some locations suffer more than others from burglaries, perhaps because the layout of the road or existence of easy routes of escape for burglars encourages them to target such places.
A case in point is Oak Grove in Doncaster, a cul-de-sac with 14 bungalows that has suffered a spate of burglaries, the BBC reports. The last 18 months have seen no fewer than ten burglaries and a number of other unsolved crimes, with one resident telling the broadcaster how she was knocked unconscious by a masked man with a baseball bat as she tried to call the police.
Worse still, just one of the burglaries has led to a prosecution, with resident Sylvester Watson, who had moved up from London hoping to enjoy a quieter life, saying: “I’m always prepared and waiting. it’s no way to live”.
The Oak Grove situation is quite an extreme one and area you live in may not be anywhere near as badly hit. But even so, it is wise to have the best possible security in place to ensure that you don’t become a victim this winter.