Sheffield locksmith advice

Advice from a Sheffield locksmith

I’m sorry to report a spate of burglaries recently in South Yorkshire. I’ve been to the aftermath of many of them. The emotional toll of having an intruder in your house is often underestimated. 

I’ll discuss two recent incidents and what we can learn from them. They show how we can better protect our houses. Someone broke into a home for the first time. The occupant was away for the night. In the second, there was a disturbed attempt at breaking into a house. The householders were home asleep in their beds.

Burglary incident number 1

In burglary 1, the offender entered the house twice while it was empty. They accessed the bathroom window via a flat roof and forced it open. They then entered the house and set off the burglar alarm. A few hours later, they tried again using the same method. But the alarm sounded again, and the burglar grabbed a few things and fled just before the police arrived.

He had not taken much. But, it was still a rude awakening for the householder. He spent Sunday filling out police reports, watching CSI, and calling me to fix the window. He supplied CCTV to the police, but  they have not found any culprit. As for lessons learned, the householder could have taken a few different actions. We suspect they targeted him because he was away from the house. His neighbours were all at home. Burglars  like empty houses because  someone is less likely to disturb them.  The householder’s car was away overnight, which usually lives on the drive.

The man could fix this by never leaving the house. But that’s not possible. The more realistic idea is that a neighbour or friend used the drive and use it  to hide the fact that the house was empty. Also, the householder could shake up his routine a bit, parking his car on the road nearby, even when he’s home. The direct link is between the vehicle being on the drive and someone being home. It would confuse any burglar.

He  gained access to the flat roof through a neighbour’s garden. The householder had done the right thing. They had a locked gate. It would have deterred a casual burglar. Yet, the intruder had entered a neighbour’s back garden. They got over their fence and onto the flat roof. In the days after the burglary, they added anti-climb spikes. This will act as a further deterrent. I also ensured that I put sash jammers inside when fixing the window for added security. It would be best to fit these into any windows large enough for a person to climb through. A crowbar or similar tool can still force it open even if someone shuts and locks the window. But sash jammers make that job a bit harder.

Lessons from Burglary 1

The main lesson from Burglary 1 was how helpful the alarm was, as shown by CCTV from the scene. The burglar tripped the alarm and rushed out, dropping several items. If they’d stayed any longer, they would have encountered the police. If the alarm had not been set, the burglars could have spent hours in the house. They could have taken whatever they wanted at leisure. So, although the burglary was still distressing, it could have been a lot worse.

Burglary incident number 2

Burglary 2 was even less successful than the first. It involved a gang of burglars snapping a lock on the occupant’s back door to get the car’s keys in the driveway. This shows that the “car on the drive” discussion is not always black and white. Here, the vehicle revealed the householders were home. But it was also a huge temptation for the gang of burglars. It later emerged that they had targeted a few homes that night for high-value cars.

 The family dog immediately foiled the break-in by barking at the intruders, which led the householders to get up to see the problem. Luckily, this scared off the burglars. Not everyone would be so lucky. The main result was relief that the gang hadn’t used violence on those inside the house.

The house had CCTV and security lights, which didn’t turn off the burglars. Someone fitted the burglar alarm in the house, but it was not in working order. It’s safe to say that we have now remedied this. The primary issue was how the burglars got in the door. They got in because it had an old-style Euro Cylinder snappable lock. That’s why I talk about these so much. It can take a few seconds to breach them. Everyone should replace them with the anti-snappable kind. It’s an extra barrier to housebreakers.

I’m more worried about home security than car security. However, the house’s CCTV also recorded the gang checking the car windows before trying to get into the house. The assumption is that they were looking for signs of extra security in the car. For instance, a steering wheel lock will put off many car thieves. Even if they get the keys (or clone the electronic variety), a hefty steering wheel lock is a massive problem for them. It will delay them and increase the likelihood of them getting noticed.

All burglaries have significant impacts.

In the second instance, the burglars got away with nothing. In the first, they got just a few bits and pieces. I’ve picked two burglaries. One might call them “lesser.” The main cost was fixing doors and windows. That’s true. I could have picked burglaries that left more damage and where someone took much more. But both have left an impact. Victims in both houses reported feeling far more uneasy. They also had trouble sleeping in the days after.

Whenever I visit in the aftermath of a break-in, I look to see if any steps could have prevented it. I don’t do this victim blaming as it’s always the burglars and them who are to blame for the crime. But, after, it’s helpful to review security. This is to determine if we can add more to prevent a recurrence. Doing something constructive often helps the householder recover. Taking action reduces the helplessness that many people feel after experiencing a burglary.

We have a window with stronger sash jammers, anti-climb spikes, and a new security light. Property 1 made these additions, which join the existing burglar alarm and anti-snap locks. Property 2 has a working alarm, new anti-snap locks, and a steering wheel lock on order. We can’t stop burglaries altogether; it’s a pity, but we can reduce the risk of being picked on.

For more Sheffield locksmith advice, call Stephen on 07990573857