Security concerns in the summer & how to fix them

With summer just around the corner, we can look forward to longer days, warmer weather (hopefully) and plenty of much-needed vacationing. However, it’s important to remember that - as much as we all should kick back and relax - there will be new security risks to look out for and avoid. From preventing the risk of your favourite outdoor valuables being stolen, to looking out for phishing scams designed to deceive holiday goers, we’ll be sharing some of the main security concerns in the summer, and how to fix them. 

Stolen garden valuables

In the summer especially, remember to keep your eyes on garden valuables, hiding them from the prying eyes of others. With bikes, plant pots, and even gnomes being some of the most commonly stolen outdoor valuables, it’s essential that garden security is taken seriously to avoid the risk of theft. 

To minimise the risk of garden theft, make sure to lock away any of your outdoor valuables in a secure garage or garden shed, equipped with an outdoor camera. This way, you’ll receive an alert if your camera does pick up any signs of movement - thanks to the high-tech motion sensors - and a spotlight will also turn on to improve visibility during the night. Not only will the police be able to use this footage if someone does break in, your security camera will act as a visible crime deterrent, possibly making your shed or garage a less favourable target. 

Another vital factor to remember is that, if you do choose to hide your outdoor valuables in your garage or shed, that you should look out for signs of structural or opening mechanism damage. Otherwise, trespassers may have an easier entrance into the building. Be sure to get your repairs done as soon as possible if you do spot any. 

Going on holiday

For those lucky enough to be heading off on holiday, ensure stress is eradicated by double, if not triple, checking that your home has been locked up before jetting off. All valuables should be hidden away from view - either by moving them away from windows or pulling the blinds closed - and trustworthy neighbours could help make your home appear occupied whilst you’re away with taking your bins out for example. 

You can set up extra PINs with the SimpliSafe alarm system, enabling your neighbours to arm and disarm the system in order to keep your home safe. This is much safer than leaving a key under the mat, which would be an obvious place for a burglar to look.

Holiday booking scams are also a big risk, with an influx of phishing emails circulating the web closer to summer - being that it’s the prime time to go away on vacation. Although it’s easy for a shiny deal to catch your eye, look out for any spelling errors or unreliable websites to avoid falling victim to cyber crime, and always make a protected payment if the advertisement looks legitimate. 

Staying out later

The return of longer days is likely to cause individuals to stay out later, leaving homes unoccupied for extended periods of time. In this scenario, all possible entrances to your home - whether that’s windows or doors - should be locked securely before leaving the house or sitting out in the garden, and you could install a reliable alarm system for an additional layer of protection. 

In the unfortunate event that someone should break into your home, your alarm system will be triggered, causing a shrill tone to sound - likely scaring off the intruder. An alert will be sent straight to your phone to inform you that someone has accessed your property.

For times when you’re unable to check your phone, those on our professional monitoring plan can rely on our monitoring centre to visually verify whether there has been a break in. Upon receiving the alert, they will check the footage captured by your outdoor or Indoor Security Camera, alerting the local authorities if necessary. This way, the crime scene will be reached quicker, preventing further damage from being done. 

Leaving windows open

As the heat climbs higher during the summer, cooling off by opening windows can actually put your home at risk. It should be common practice for windows to be closed and locked before heading out for the day, but if you are looking to increase ventilation whilst you’re inside the home, there are certain precautions you should take. 

Windows on the first floor of a building are particularly favourable entrances, so make sure to pay extra attention to these. You could install a window restrictor, which will prevent your window from being opened more than a fixed point, or equip the room with Motion Sensors, which work by detecting the unique heat signature of humans. 

Whatever the season, protect your home all year round with SimpliSafe. Get in contact with our team to build your security system today.