A garage door manufacturer is urging homeowners to act to ensure their property is secure while they are away.
A recent survey of home owners** found that nearly half of respondents had upwards of £3,000 worth of goods stored in their garage. However, despite the garage door being the largest point of entry to the home, Garador managing director, Simon Hipgrave of Garador says it is often overlooked as a security feature.
He says: “While you are away on holiday, your home is particularly vulnerable. Thieves know the tell-tale signs of an empty house and have time to plan their method of entry, so it is vital that your garage door doesn’t offer them easy access.
Simon provided advice to help holidaymakers secure their homes against intruders while they are away:
• Don’t leave things in plain sight. Burglars are opportunists and leaving valuable goods on display makes your home a target.
• Do as much as you can to make it look like you are at home, leave your lights on a timer and avoid a build-up of milk bottles, newspapers and mail on your doorstep.
• If you have any cat flaps, ensure that you haven’t left a key within easy reach of the door.
• Ensure there are no bricks, tools or wood near your house which could be used to force entry.
• Mark any valuable possessions with an ultraviolet pen to ensure any recovered items can be returned to you.
“As well as housing expensive vehicles, tools, bikes and belongings – a garage with a poorly-designed or security-deficient door provides criminals with easy access to the rest of your property. Selecting the right garage door is therefore of upmost importance when building, specifying or securing your property against theft.”
Garador says that the company’s Guardian Range of up and over garage doors are the only one of their kind to be approved by the UK Police flagship “Secured by Design” initiative.
For more about Garador, visit www.garador.co.uk or call 01935 443722.
